Evaluating the Implementation and Short-Term Outcomes of the ‘Know Your Food’ Campaign in China Using a RE-AIM Framework

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Chinese school-aged children has continued to rise, posing significant health risks. Rational nutrition knowledge and dietary behaviors are important for obesity prevention and control. The ‘Know Your Food’ campaign aimed to promote nutritious diets and empower informed food choices among Chinese children and young people. This study aims to assess both the implementation and effectiveness of the campaign in primary school settings. Methods: The monitoring framework was designed using the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and consisted of a series of social media advocacy and school-based nutrition sessions. A monitoring system based on the RE-AIM model was developed to assess the impact of the campaign. Observational data on reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation, and maintenance were collected through media tracking, self-reported questionnaires, and focus group discussions. Results: Between 13 May and 15 June 2022, the campaign gained 77.13 million views and 291,029 interactions from social media. The campaign garnered positive feedback as it reached a wide audience through traditional media, social media and school sessions. 94.7% of the respondents were willing to share campaign information. After the session, more than two thirds of the students reported behavior change, with 70.0% reporting eating five vegetables a day, 67.7% reporting drinking fewer sugary drinks, 74.0% reporting replacing snacks with fruits/nuts, 76.9% reporting doing exercises, and 78.0% reporting getting sufficient sleep. Conclusions: The ‘Know Your Food’ campaign was able to reach and engage the target audience, increasing nutrition knowledge, and influencing behavior change within the short observation window. The findings exemplify the implementation and effectiveness of this campaign and highlight the importance of using a comprehensive assessment framework to assess such nutrition campaigns.