Evaluating Myplate: An Expanded Framework Using Traditional and Non-Traditional Metrics for Assessing Health Communication Campaigns

Background: MyPlate, the icon and campaign developed for the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA), provides an opportunity to consider new approaches to evaluating the effectiveness of communication campaigns. 

Program background: Little was published about the effectiveness of the previous DGA icon, MyPyramid, despite its prominence, and the indicators used were limited to awareness of the symbol and consumption of fruits and vegetables. 

Evaluation Methods and Results:  The proposed evaluation framework highlights the need for assessing important intermediate outcomes, such as self-efficacy for using MyPlate, and changes in social norms that support the food proportions illustrated in MyPlate (e.g., make half your plate fruits and vegetables, enjoy your food but eat less) in homes, restaurants,  and dining facilities. 

Conclusions: This proposed evaluation framework for MyPlate builds on well-known and under-utilized models and theories to propose a wide breadth of observations, outputs, and outcomes that can contribute to a fuller assessment of campaign effectiveness. 

Implications for research and/or practice: Two areas to focus evaluation efforts are suggested in order to advance the understanding of MyPlate’s effectiveness: (1) assessing the extent to which the icon is associated with positive changes in social norms that lead to desired behaviors, and (2) identifying  strategies to increase the effectiveness of MyPlate in vulnerable populations.