Black Parents’ eLearning Preferences and Expectations of an Online Beverage Program to Improve Healthy Beverage Consumption Among Young Children

Objective

To conduct a needs assessment to understand the expectations and eLearning preferences of Black parents of young children to inform the development of a healthy beverage education program.

Methods

A convenience sample of Black parents (n = 64) completed a survey on eLearning format preferences. Individual interviews (n = 20) with survey respondents explored program expectations and motivations for participation. Descriptive statistics and qualitative content analyses were used for data analysis.

Results

Videos were the preferred eLearning format. Participants’ expectations of the eLearning program included representations using cultural identifiers (e.g., hair and skin color) reflective of Black culture. They also wanted videos to be engaging, concise, and short (5–10 minutes). The learning topics of interest included the sugar content of beverages, label reading, health consequences of sugar-sweetened beverages, and easy-to-make healthy beverage recipes.

Conclusion and Implications

The findings of this study may inform the development of healthy beverage education programs for Black families of young children. Future studies should examine the impact of these interventions on health behaviors and outcomes.