EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL MARKETING ON WOMEN’S KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES REGARDING CHILD NUTRITION IN SOUTH-WEST NIGERIA
Chapter One: Introduction
EFFECTIVENESS OF SOCIAL MARKETING ON WOMEN’S KNOWLEDGE, ATTITUDES, AND PRACTICES REGARDING CHILD NUTRITION IN SOUTH-WEST NIGERIA
ABSTRACT
Child malnutrition remains a major public health concern in Nigeria despite numerous governmental and non-governmental nutrition intervention programmes. Conventional nutrition interventions in many developing countries have largely relied on top-down communication approaches, which often fail to adequately engage target populations or sustain behavioural change. In recent years, social marketing has emerged globally as an innovative and participatory communication strategy capable of influencing positive health and nutrition behaviours through audience-centred interventions. However, empirical evidence on the effectiveness of social marketing in improving women’s child nutrition practices in Nigeria remains limited. This study therefore examined the effectiveness of social marketing on women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding child nutrition in South-West Nigeria.
The study adopted a quasi-experimental research design complemented with Focus Group Discussions (FGDs). A total of 240 women of reproductive age were selected through systematic random sampling from antenatal clinics in selected Primary Health Centres across ten Local Government Areas in Oyo, Ekiti, and Osun States. Data were collected using structured questionnaires administered before and after intervention exposure. The intervention involved the dissemination of nutrition education messages through social marketing strategies using audio-visual materials, interpersonal communication, charts, and community-based engagement over a twelve-week period. Data collected included respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, knowledge of child nutrition, attitudes towards nutrition practices, and behavioural practices relating to child feeding. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC), Chi-square analysis, t-test, and thematic analysis of FGDs at 0.05 level of significance.
Findings revealed that respondents had a mean age of 33 years, while the majority were married and engaged in petty trading activities. Baseline results showed moderate awareness of child nutrition information, with radio and television serving as the dominant information channels. Following exposure to social marketing intervention, significant improvements were observed in women’s nutritional knowledge, attitudes, and child-feeding practices within the experimental group compared to the control group. Socio-economic variables such as education, marital status, family size, occupation, and access to communication channels significantly influenced nutrition behaviour among respondents. The study further established that culturally appropriate and audience-driven communication strategies positively influenced behavioural change related to child nutrition.
The study concludes that social marketing is an effective behavioural change communication strategy for improving women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to child nutrition in South-West Nigeria. It is therefore recommended that government agencies, development organisations, health practitioners, and nutrition programme planners adopt participatory social marketing strategies in designing and implementing child nutrition interventions to achieve sustainable improvements in maternal and child health outcomes.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background to the Study
Child nutrition is fundamental to human development, public health sustainability, and national socio-economic growth. Adequate nutrition during infancy and early childhood significantly contributes to cognitive development, disease resistance, physical growth, and overall wellbeing. However, malnutrition among children under five years remains a persistent challenge in many developing countries, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. Nigeria continues to experience alarming rates of undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, stunting, wasting, and poor infant feeding practices despite several nutrition-related interventions introduced over the years (UNICEF, 2021; WHO, 2022).
Globally, attention has increasingly shifted from merely providing nutrition interventions to understanding how communication, behavioural influence, and community participation can improve nutritional outcomes. This shift has brought social marketing into prominence as an effective strategy for promoting health-related behavioural change. Social marketing applies commercial marketing principles and communication techniques to influence voluntary behaviours that improve individual and societal wellbeing (Kotler & Lee, 2008). Unlike traditional top-down intervention models, social marketing adopts a consumer-oriented approach that prioritises audience participation, behavioural insight, and culturally sensitive communication strategies.
The concept of social marketing evolved from development communication and behavioural change theories during the 1970s. Since then, it has gained widespread acceptance in health promotion campaigns addressing issues such as immunisation, breastfeeding, HIV prevention, sanitation, maternal health, and child nutrition (Andreasen, 1995). Social marketing focuses on understanding the needs, values, and motivations of target audiences in order to design persuasive and sustainable interventions. It employs communication channels such as radio, television, interpersonal communication, community outreach, print media, and digital platforms to promote desirable behaviours.
In recent decades, several countries have successfully applied social marketing strategies to improve nutritional practices among women and caregivers. Studies conducted in countries such as Thailand, Indonesia, Jordan, and Peru demonstrated significant improvements in breastfeeding practices, micronutrient consumption, child-feeding habits, and nutrition awareness following the implementation of social marketing interventions (Favin & Griffiths, 1991; McDivitt & Ayman, 1991). These successes highlight the importance of participatory communication and behavioural-centred nutrition interventions in addressing malnutrition challenges.
In Nigeria, child malnutrition remains a serious concern despite programmes such as vitamin A supplementation, food fortification initiatives, school feeding schemes, and maternal nutrition campaigns. Reports from the National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS) and UNICEF indicate that many children continue to suffer from poor dietary intake, protein-energy malnutrition, and micronutrient deficiencies due to poverty, inadequate nutrition knowledge, poor feeding practices, and socio-cultural factors (NDHS, 2018; UNICEF, 2021). Women, particularly mothers and caregivers, play a central role in determining household nutritional practices and child feeding patterns. Consequently, improving women’s nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices is essential for combating child malnutrition.
South-West Nigeria presents a significant context for investigating the effectiveness of social marketing interventions because of its population diversity, varying socio-economic conditions, and persistent nutritional challenges among vulnerable households. Although awareness campaigns on nutrition exist within the region, many interventions still rely heavily on one-way communication approaches with limited audience participation. This often reduces the effectiveness and sustainability of behavioural change programmes.
Furthermore, the growing influence of digital communication technologies, community-based media, and behavioural science has expanded the relevance of social marketing within public health promotion. Contemporary nutrition interventions increasingly recognise the need for tailored communication strategies that address cultural beliefs, economic realities, media exposure, and behavioural motivations influencing women’s child-feeding practices.
Against this backdrop, this study examines the effectiveness of social marketing strategies in improving women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding child nutrition in South-West Nigeria. The study seeks to contribute to existing literature by providing empirical evidence on how audience-centred nutrition communication can enhance behavioural change and improve child nutrition outcomes in Nigeria.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Malnutrition remains one of the leading causes of child morbidity and mortality in Nigeria, particularly among children under the age of five. Despite numerous nutrition intervention programmes implemented by governmental agencies, international development organisations, and non-governmental organisations, the prevalence of undernutrition and poor feeding practices continues to rise in many parts of the country. Available evidence indicates that a significant proportion of Nigerian children suffer from stunting, wasting, underweight conditions, and micronutrient deficiencies, all of which negatively affect physical growth, cognitive development, educational performance, and long-term productivity (WHO, 2022).
Several nutrition intervention programmes introduced in Nigeria have focused mainly on food supplementation, micronutrient fortification, breastfeeding promotion, and nutrition education campaigns. However, many of these programmes have produced limited and unsustainable outcomes due to over-centralised planning, inadequate community participation, and poor understanding of behavioural factors influencing nutrition practices. Traditional communication approaches often fail to address the socio-cultural, economic, and psychological realities that shape women’s decisions regarding child feeding and nutrition.
Studies have shown that inadequate maternal knowledge, poor nutrition attitudes, cultural food taboos, poverty, and limited access to reliable nutrition information contribute significantly to poor child nutrition practices in Nigeria (Black et al., 2013). In many rural and semi-urban communities, women still rely on misinformation, traditional beliefs, and inconsistent dietary practices that negatively affect child health outcomes. Furthermore, nutrition campaigns frequently employ generalised communication strategies without adequately segmenting target audiences or tailoring messages to local realities.
Social marketing has emerged globally as an effective behavioural change strategy capable of influencing positive health practices through audience-driven communication, community engagement, and persuasive messaging. However, there is limited empirical research on the application and effectiveness of social marketing in improving child nutrition behaviours among women in Nigeria, particularly within South-West Nigeria.
This gap in knowledge raises important concerns regarding the suitability of current nutrition intervention strategies and the need for more participatory, culturally relevant, and behaviour-oriented communication models. Consequently, this study seeks to investigate whether social marketing interventions can significantly improve women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices relating to child nutrition in South-West Nigeria.
The study therefore attempts to provide answers to the following research questions:
What are the socio-economic characteristics of women involved in child nutrition practices in the study area?
What is the level of awareness of child nutrition messages among respondents before and after social marketing intervention?
What communication channels are most effective in disseminating child nutrition information to women?
What is the level of respondents’ knowledge of child nutrition before and after exposure to social marketing intervention?
What attitudes do respondents exhibit towards child nutrition practices before and after intervention?
To what extent does social marketing influence women’s child nutrition practices?
What factors constrain effective child nutrition practices among women in the study area?
1.3 Objectives of the Study
General Objective
The main objective of this study is to examine the effectiveness of social marketing on women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding child nutrition in South-West Nigeria.
Specific Objectives
The study specifically seeks to:
examine the socio-economic characteristics of women in the study area;
assess respondents’ awareness of child nutrition messages before and after intervention;
identify the major communication channels through which nutrition information is disseminated;
evaluate respondents’ knowledge of child nutrition before and after social marketing intervention;
examine respondents’ attitudes towards child nutrition practices following exposure to nutrition messages;
determine the influence of social marketing on women’s child nutrition practices; and
identify the constraints affecting effective child nutrition practices among women in the study area.
1.4 Research Hypotheses
The following hypotheses were formulated and tested in null form:
There is no significant relationship between respondents’ socio-economic characteristics and child nutrition behaviour.
There is no significant relationship between awareness of nutrition messages and child nutrition behaviour.
There is no significant relationship between communication channels and child nutrition behaviour.
There is no significant difference in respondents’ knowledge of child nutrition before and after exposure to social marketing intervention.
There is no significant difference in respondents’ attitudes towards child nutrition before and after intervention.
There is no significant difference in respondents’ child nutrition practices before and after exposure to social marketing intervention.
There is no significant difference in behavioural change outcomes among respondents before and after intervention.
1.5 Significance of the Study
This study is significant because it addresses the growing concern of child malnutrition and poor feeding practices in Nigeria through the application of innovative communication strategies. The findings will contribute to knowledge on the role of social marketing in promoting sustainable behavioural change relating to child nutrition among women.
The study will provide empirical evidence for policymakers, nutritionists, public health practitioners, agricultural extension officers, and development organisations on the effectiveness of audience-centred communication strategies in nutrition intervention programmes. It will also assist government agencies and non-governmental organisations in designing nutrition campaigns that are participatory, culturally appropriate, and behaviour-oriented.
Furthermore, the study will contribute to the achievement of global nutrition and health targets, including the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) and Goal 3 (Good Health and Wellbeing). The findings may also guide future interventions aimed at improving maternal and child health outcomes through strategic communication and community participation.
Academically, the study will enrich existing literature on social marketing, health communication, behavioural change, and child nutrition in Nigeria. It will serve as a useful reference material for students, researchers, and scholars interested in public health, nutrition, agricultural extension, communication studies, and development studies.
1.6 Scope of the Study
The study focused on the effectiveness of social marketing interventions on women’s knowledge, attitudes, and practices regarding child nutrition in selected states within South-West Nigeria. The research covered women attending antenatal clinics in selected Primary Health Centres across Oyo, Ekiti, and Osun States.
The study specifically examined respondents’ socio-economic characteristics, awareness of nutrition messages, communication channels, nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and child-feeding practices before and after exposure to social marketing intervention.
1.7 Operational Definition of Terms
The application of marketing principles and communication strategies to influence voluntary behaviours that improve personal and societal wellbeing.
The provision and consumption of adequate nutrients required for healthy growth, development, and survival of children, especially those under five years of age.
The level of awareness, understanding, and factual information possessed by respondents regarding child nutrition and healthy feeding practices.
The feelings, perceptions, beliefs, and dispositions of respondents towards child nutrition practices and nutrition messages.
The actual nutritional behaviours and feeding activities performed by women in caring for children.
The combination of knowledge, attitudes, and practices that influence food selection, feeding patterns, and dietary decisions relating to child nutrition.
A condition resulting from inadequate or imbalanced intake of nutrients necessary for healthy growth and development.
The various media and interpersonal methods used to disseminate nutrition information, including radio, television, posters, health workers, social media, and community meetings.
A measurable improvement or modification in nutrition-related knowledge, attitudes, and practices following exposure to intervention programmes.
REFERENCES
Andreasen, A. R. (1995). Marketing Social Change: Changing Behaviour to Promote Health, Social Development and the Environment. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.
Black, R. E., Victora, C. G., Walker, S. P., et al. (2013). Maternal and child undernutrition and overweight in low-income and middle-income countries. The Lancet, 382(9890), 427–451.
Favin, M., & Griffiths, M. (1991). Communication strategies for improving nutrition. World Bank Discussion Papers.
Kotler, P., & Lee, N. (2008). Social Marketing: Influencing Behaviors for Good. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.
McDivitt, J., & Ayman, A. (1991). Breastfeeding promotion through mass communication in Jordan. Journal of Health Communication, 5(2), 89–101.
National Demographic and Health Survey (NDHS). (2018). Nigeria Demographic and Health Survey Report. Abuja: National Population Commission.
UNICEF. (2021). State of the World’s Children Report. New York: United Nations Children’s Fund.
WHO. (2022). Global Nutrition Report. Geneva: World Health Organization.
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