EFNEP graduates' perspectives on social media to supplement nutrition education: focus group findings from active users

Abstract

Objective: To identify ways to effectively use social media to communicate nutrition-related information to low-income populations.

Methods: The authors conducted 4 focus groups with female Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program graduates who used social media at least twice a week (n = 26 total). Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparative method to identify key themes.

Results: For participants, page content, page maintenance, and networking opportunities with others were important aspects of a nutrition education social media page. Trust emerged as a central theme, because participants expressed a need for reliable information from known, credible sources and safe places to share ideas.

Conclusions and implications: Using social media to provide nutrition-related messages may be an effective way to encourage sustained positive behavior changes resulting from educational programming and to engage participants beyond class time. Establishing the trustworthiness of the social media site is essential to its use among low-income participants.

Keywords: EFNEP; nutrition education; social media.