Background: Youth are connected through digital platforms and exposed to a vast amount of information. Poor food literacy may influence their dietary habits, contributing to non-communicable diseases and obesity. Traditional health promotion efforts do not effectively reach the youth. The content presentation through digital platforms is necessary to reach them effectively and promote healthy eating. The objective of this study is to develop a guideline for content creators to use digital platforms accurately and effectively to promote healthy food choices among youth.
Methods: Mixed-methods research informed by the Diffusion of Innovation theory was conducted to formulate the guideline. A rapid review was performed to identify strategies utilized by content creators on digital platforms. A cross-sectional study was used to analyze usage and perceptions of online healthy food content among youth (n=382) in Sri Lanka. The evidence gathered was used in the focus group discussion to develop the guideline. The guideline was validated using the Appraisal of Guidelines for Research and Evaluation II (AGREE II).
Results: Thirty-two articles were selected from 380 retrieved for the rapid review. Strategies to reach and engage youth were categorized into digital platforms, messaging, and self- monitoring. The cross-sectional study revealed that youth predominantly use handheld devices and personal data/Wi-Fi to access social media daily (72.9%) and video-sharing platforms (62.1%). They favor concise, visually appealing content (53.1%) in video (74.7%) or image (62.1%) formats with positive emotions. Testimonials and success stories, especially for females (P=0.039), motivate healthy eating habits. The guideline, developed after the focus group discussion, was validated using the AGREE II tool. It scored highly in scope, purpose, stakeholder involvement, and rigor of development.
Conclusions: A validated guideline for content creators backed by evidence to create concise, visually appealing video and image content on digital platforms effectively engages youth and contributes to improving food literacy.
