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Lowfat Lucy

An Effective Practice

Description

The Lowfat Lucy cartoon cow character is the center of a campaign designed to encourage low-income, Latino elementary school children to drink low-fat white milk. The intervention includes school-wide assemblies that present information about heart health, the benefits of drinking low-fat milk, interactive games, and a presentation by Lowfat Lucy. The program features social marketing techniques such as product positioning, taste tests, advertising, incentives, a slogan, persuasion through entertainment, and celebrity endorsement – in this case, Lowfat Lucy. Posters and cardboard cutouts of Lowfat Lucy holding a carton of 1% milk appear around the school, and students who participate in contests can win t-shirts, pencils, and magnets with the “If you’re over two, low-fat milk is for you” slogan. Presentations are also made at parent association meetings to encourage parents to choose low-fat milk at home.

Goal / Mission

The goal of the Lowfat Lucy program is to encourage children to drink low-fat white milk.

Results / Accomplishments

Over 4,000 students have received Lowfat Lucy programming, and nearly 1,700 have participated in contests associated with the intervention. Following the program, low-fat milk consumption increased significantly from 25% to 57% in intervention schools, but remained constant at 28% in control schools. Differences between intervention and control schools remained significant at 4-month follow-up.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
Columbia University Teachers College Department of Health and Nutrition Education, New York State Healthy Heart Program
Primary Contact
Nutrition
Teachers College, Columbia University
525 W 120th Street
New York, New York 10027-6696
(212) 678-3950
nutrition-tc@columbia.edu
http://www.tc.columbia.edu/hbs/Nutrition/
Topics
Health / Children's Health
Health / Physical Activity
Organization(s)
Columbia University Teachers College Department of Health and Nutrition Education, New York State Healthy Heart Program
Source
American Journal of Public Health
Date of publication
1998
Date of implementation
1994
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
New York, NY
For more details
Target Audience
Children, Racial/Ethnic Minorities
Kansas Health Matters