Catch up on your Comics: Study Shows they Promote Healthy Eating Habits

For the cartoon lovers out there, you may never have thought that catching up on your comics could actually help promote the consumption of fruit and other healthy edibles in young people. Yet a recent study involving Japanese comics puts the theory to test by encouraging each participant to pick a healthy choice from the snack selection options.

"Manga comics could be used to promote healthier behaviors and beliefs related to fruit consumption in at-risk youth. The graphics and minimal text make it a promising format to engage younger populations," lead author May May Leung, PhD, RD, City University of New York School of Public Health and Hunter College said, via a press release.

For the study, researchers examined 57 young people all round the age of 11. Close to 90 percent of the participants were African American or Hispanic, while 54 percent were also female.

Participants were then asked to read either a Manga comic titled "fight for Your Right Fruit" or a non-health-related newsletter. Following the readings, they were then asked to choose between a healthy snack (fruits) versus an unhealthy snack (junk food.)

Findings showed that close to 61 percent of children who picked up the cartoon were more likely to pick a healthy snack. However only 35 percent of the children who read the newsletter opted for a healthy choice.

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior.