Abstract:

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most preventable yet persistently prevalent forms of cancer worldwide. Paradoxically, the incidence rates of this cancer have been increasing for at least thirty years, particularly in people younger than fifty years old. Mounting research evidence suggests a strong influence of diet and gut microbiota in both the colorectal cancer pathogenesis and prevention. Addressing the urgent need for accessible, research-informed health education, we developed the “Navy-Blue Gut”, a pedagogically driven, storytelling-based digital video series intended to engage viewers with the biomedical underpinnings of colorectal cancer prevention. Anchored in current scientific literature on diet-microbiome interactions and the metabolic pathways implicated in colorectal carcinogenesis, the series transduces complex concepts into a meaningful, cognitive-oriented learning experience designed to promote preventive behaviours among adolescents. It does so by means of podcast conversations between two characters: a podcast host with strong interest in colorectal cancer prevention, and a science teacher well-informed about recent research on the field, who ask why complex colorectal cancer issues would matter to adolescents. The videos’ script draws upon peer-reviewed evidence linking habitual ultra-processed meat consumption to microbial imbalance, intestinal inflammation, and carcinogenic pathways. Protective mechanisms, notably the promotion of short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production and reduction of systemic inflammation, are addressed. Furthermore, the story incorporates preventive screening measures – such as faecal occult blood tests and colonoscopy – highlighting the broader spectrum of colorectal cancer prevention beyond nutritional interventions. The paper explores the cognitive storytelling pedagogical rationale behind the “Navy-Blue Gut” video series. Digital storytelling is a method that combines traditional storytelling with modern digital tools to create multimedia narratives (involving images, audio, video, and text). It is a kind of narrative imagining, a form of thinking before acting. The idea is that storytelling is not just a delivery method. It is constitutional to how we think, it is a fundamental instrument of thought. Rational capacities, such as making informed decisions, depend upon it. For that purpose, the story was designed to combine cognitive scaling (from food to molecular scale, passing through the gut) and causation (ultra-processed meat causing colorectal cancer) structures, from which central inferences are anticipated to arise. To conclude, we argue that, through its blend of scientific rigour and cognitive storytelling pedagogy, the “Navy-Blue Gut” not only facilitates knowledge acquisition, as it potentially promotes critical thinking and long-term engagement with health-promoting behaviours, boosting health literacy among adolescents.

Keywords:

Cognitive storytelling pedagogy, replay story, colorectal cancer prevention, changing dietary habits & screening, health literacy.