TY - JOUR

T1 - Using Nudges to Promote Healthy Food Choices in the School Dining Room

T2 - A Systematic Review of Previous Investigations

AU - Marcano-Olivier, Mariel

AU - Viktor, Simon

AU - Horne, Pauline

AU - Erjavec, Mihela

PY - 2020/2

Y1 - 2020/2

N2 - There is a growing interest in low-cost interventions that modify obesogenic environments to encourage positive behaviour change. We have conducted a systematic review of the studies that used behavioural nudges to promote a healthy school cafeteria environment. A focused literature search was conducted using five databases; out of 381 papers, 25 were included in the present review and assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Most studies used relatively small, convenience samples and data collection methods that could not be described as robust, necessitating cautious interpretation of their results. A range of behavioural nudges were employed. Seventeen studies reported positive effects on children’s selection and 11 studies reported improvements in their consumption of target foods, effected by changing the order of serving; increasing the convenience, attractiveness, and normativeness of selecting healthy options; increasing the variety available; and attractive target food labelling.Overall, this review identified the requirement for well-designed and well-controlled investigations into the effects of changing the choice architecture in school cafeterias, assessing short-, medium-, and long-term changes in individual children’s consumption, utilising validated measures, and conducted across a variety of settings, including dining rooms of schools outside the US.

AB - There is a growing interest in low-cost interventions that modify obesogenic environments to encourage positive behaviour change. We have conducted a systematic review of the studies that used behavioural nudges to promote a healthy school cafeteria environment. A focused literature search was conducted using five databases; out of 381 papers, 25 were included in the present review and assessed using the Quality Assessment Tool for Quantitative Studies. Most studies used relatively small, convenience samples and data collection methods that could not be described as robust, necessitating cautious interpretation of their results. A range of behavioural nudges were employed. Seventeen studies reported positive effects on children’s selection and 11 studies reported improvements in their consumption of target foods, effected by changing the order of serving; increasing the convenience, attractiveness, and normativeness of selecting healthy options; increasing the variety available; and attractive target food labelling.Overall, this review identified the requirement for well-designed and well-controlled investigations into the effects of changing the choice architecture in school cafeterias, assessing short-, medium-, and long-term changes in individual children’s consumption, utilising validated measures, and conducted across a variety of settings, including dining rooms of schools outside the US.

KW - behavior change

KW - child health

KW - choice architecture

KW - healthy eating interventions

KW - nudge

KW - obesity

KW - school cafeterias

KW - school canteens

KW - school dining rooms

U2 - 10.1111/josh.12861

DO - 10.1111/josh.12861

M3 - Review article

VL - 90

SP - 143

EP - 157

JO - Journal of School Health

JF - Journal of School Health

SN - 1746-1561

IS - 2

ER -