A Study of the Importance of Education and Cost Incentives on Individual Food Choices at the Harvard School of Public Health Cafeteria
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OBJECTIVES: To investigate the importance of cost and awareness of health- or disease-promoting properties of foods and meals for choices by customers of a cafeteria. DESIGN: A non-randomized intervention study. SETTING: A medium size cafeteria in the Harvard School of Public Health. PARTICIPANTS: Customers of the cafeteria mainly consisting of public health students, faculty, and school staff and workers from the medical campus. INTERVENTION: The purchase of healthy foods and dishes was subsidized and their prices reduced by 20%. This promotion was accompanied by the distribution of educational material. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Change in consumption of healthy and less healthy foods. ANALYSIS: The geometric mean was used to calculate the change in consumption. RESULTS: During the intervention, we observed a 6% increase in the consumption of healthy foods (95% confidence interval [CI]; 5% to 8%), and a 2% decline in the consumption of less-healthy foods (95% CI; -1% to -4%). After the prices returned to their original levels, the consumption of healthy foods increased further to 17% (95% CI; 13% to 20%) and a 2% decline in the consumption of less-healthy foods (95% CI; % 1 to -5%) persisted. CONCLUSIONS: Subsidizing healthful meals and educating consumers about the importance of a healthy diet can result in a modest increase in the selection of healthy foods and meals that can be maintained beyond the periods of subsidy and promotion.
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Another quasi-experimental worksite cafeteria intervention demonstrated that more substantial subsidies on healthier foods and dishes, which lowered prices by 20%, led to significant increases in purchases of these foods while decreasing purchases of unsubsidized, less healthy foods.
“Another quasi-experimental worksite cafeteria intervention demonstrated that more substantial subsidies on healthier foods and dishes, which lowered prices by 20%, led to significant increases in purchases of these foods while decreasing purchases of unsubsidized, less healthy foods.176”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [176]
At least 2 interventions suggested that the effects of food subsidies might be sustained, at least weeks to months, after subsidies were removed.
“Interestingly, at least 2 of these interventions suggested that the effects of food subsidies might be sustained, at least weeks to months, after subsidies were removed.176,179”
From Population Approaches to Improve Diet, Physical Activity, and Smoking Habits: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart Association (2012) · cites this paper as [176]
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- Authors
- Michels, K. B., Bloom, B. R., Riccardi, P., Rosner, B. A., & Willett, W. C.
- Affiliations
- Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
- Harvard University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Michels, Karin B.
- Venue
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2008-02
- Volume
- 27
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 6-11
- ISSN
- 0731-5724 (ISSN-L)
- 1541-1087
- PMC
- PMC3850084
- OpenAlex
- W2160123468
- Cited by
- 68
- References
- 16
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 1 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 5 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 4 · 2016: 7 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 2 · 2012: 6
- FWCI
- 2.53
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- europepmc.org
- Locations
- Journal of the American College of Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (P30DK040561)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Nursing › Nutrition and Dietetics › Nutrition, Health and Food Behavior
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Consumer Attitudes and Food Labeling
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
- Keywords
- food choice, food subsidies, healthy eating, nutrition education, dietary intake, dietary behavior change, food prices, Harvard School of Public Health
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Attitude to Health, Choice Behavior, Cost-Benefit Analysis, Decision Making, Female, Food, Food Preferences, Food Services, Health Education, Health Promotion, Humans, Male, Motivation, Nutritional Physiological Phenomena, Students, Universities, Food, Organic
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