TSET Releases Refreshing, New Youth-Focused Obesity Prevention Messaging
Swap Up, an obesity prevention campaign for Oklahoma teens, is releasing a new series of educational ads focused on the benefits of drinking water for peak physical performance and focus.
Oklahomans, including youth, have some of the highest rates of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in the United States, and that is associated with weight gain and obesity. Drinking water instead of sugary beverages, like sports or energy drinks, can help Oklahoma kids maintain a healthy weight and build healthy habits for a lifetime.
The new messages, titled “Watermercial,” parody the over-the-top nature of television infomercials to communicate the positive impacts water can have on physical and mental performance, including relieving muscle cramps and increasing focus. These ads are part of the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative, which include efforts to educate youth about healthy behaviors and build on previous successes of the Swap Up campaign.
An online survey of more than 230 teens across Oklahoma showed that an increasing number of respondents agreed that drinking more water would increase their energy, help them perform better in sports/exercise, think more clearly and improve their mood. Additionally, teens who engaged with Swap Up were more likely than others to report intentions to replace sugar-sweetened beverages with water in the next seven days.
The survey was conducted in May 2022 to assess awareness and effectiveness of the Swap Up campaign that launched in 2021.
The new ads are currently reaching teens across Oklahoma on digital platforms. TV, cable and radio ads will launch September 12 during family-friendly programming to spark conversations between parents and teenagers about healthy behaviors.
In focus groups conducted across Oklahoma last year, teens said they were drinking energy drinks and sugar-sweetened beverages to increase their energy levels, but many were not aware of how these drinks could negatively affect their performance. The new campaign communicates scientific facts and encourages teens to:
- Skip energy drinks, which are full of chemicals and sugar
- Choose water, which hydrates muscles and helps the brain operate at peak performance
Swap Up is part of the TSET Healthy Youth Initiative, a program of the Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET). The TSET Healthy Youth Initiative is a multifaceted statewide public health education campaign focused on preventing and reducing tobacco use and obesity for Oklahomans ages 13-18.
To reinforce Swap Up messaging, TSET has free sources for educators and health care providers, including flyers and bookmark brochures. These items, which are focused on healthier eating options as well as tobacco and vape cessation, can be ordered for free at TSETHealthyYouth.com/order.
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The TSET Healthy Youth Initiative is a statewide media effort focused on preventing and reducing tobacco use and obesity for Oklahomans ages 13-18. The initiative promotes healthy lifestyle choices for teens and gives parents resources to support their children in maintaining or developing healthy habits for a lifetime. Visit TSETHealthyYouth.com to learn more.
The Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust serves as a partner and bridge builder for organizations shaping a healthier future for all Oklahomans. TSET provides leadership at the intersections of health by working with local coalitions and initiatives across the state, cultivating innovative and life-changing research, and working across public and private sectors to develop, support, implement and evaluate creative strategies to take advantage of emerging opportunities to improve the public’s health. TSET – Better Lives Through Better Health. To learn more, go to Oklahoma.gov/TSET.