Smart food policy for healthy food labeling: Leading with taste, not healthiness, to shift consumption and enjoyment of healthy foods

AbstractObjectiveTo determine weightings for the relative contributions of nineteen widely recommended good practice food environment policies to improve population nutrition, based on evidence of effectiveness and expert ratings, to facilitate benchmarking of the implementation of food environment policies globally.DesignA two-round Delphi study was performed in 2015, whereby international food policy experts (nRound127,nRound221) compared effectiveness of all possible pairs of policy domains and good practice policies within domains to improve population nutrition according to the Saaty scale (1 to 9). Weightings for each domain and policy were derived from expert ratings based on the Analytic Hierarchy Process method.SettingInternational.SubjectsFood policy experts.ResultsOut of the seven policy domains, Food Prices and Food Promotion received the highest weightings for impact on improving population nutrition, while Food Trade received the lowest weighting. Among the nineteen specific policies, taxing unhealthy foods (3·8 (0·7)), healthy food provision in schools (2·8 (0·4)) and minimizing taxes on healthy foods (2·6 (0·4)) were given the highest weightings, while nutrient declarations on packaged foods (1·2 (0·2)) and healthy food policies in private-sector workplaces (1·0 (0·2)) received the lowest weightings (mean (95 % CI)).ConclusionsExpert-derived weightings on the relative contributions of recommended food environment policies to improve population nutrition will facilitate monitoring and benchmarking the implementation of these policies by governments among countries globally. Additional weightings for contributions of policies to reducing nutrition inequalities and improving consumer and child rights could be developed in the future.

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Macho Nachos

Social Psychology ◽

10.1027/1864-9335/a000226 ◽

2015 ◽

Vol 46 (4) ◽

pp. 182-196 ◽

Cited By ~ 12

Author(s):

Luke (Lei) Zhu ◽

Victoria L. Brescoll ◽

George E. Newman ◽

Eric Luis Uhlmann

Keyword(s):

Gender Stereotypes ◽

Food Packaging ◽

Food Preferences ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Psychological Reactance ◽

Unhealthy Food ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Gender Schema ◽

Male And Female ◽

Schema Congruity

Abstract. The present studies examine how culturally held stereotypes about gender (that women eat more healthfully than men) implicitly influence food preferences. In Study 1, priming masculinity led both male and female participants to prefer unhealthy foods, while priming femininity led both male and female participants to prefer healthy foods. Study 2 extended these effects to gendered food packaging. When the packaging and healthiness of the food were gender schema congruent (i.e., feminine packaging for a healthy food, masculine packaging for an unhealthy food) both male and female participants rated the product as more attractive, said that they would be more likely to purchase it, and even rated it as tasting better compared to when the product was stereotype incongruent. In Study 3, packaging that explicitly appealed to gender stereotypes (“The muffin for real men”) reversed the schema congruity effect, but only among participants who scored high in psychological reactance.

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Associations between Food Policy Councils and Policies That Support Healthy Food Access: A National Survey of Community Policy Supports

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu13020683 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 683

Author(s):

Samantha J. Lange ◽

Larissa Calancie ◽

Stephen J. Onufrak ◽

Katherine T. Reddy ◽

Anne Palmer ◽

...

Keyword(s):

National Survey ◽

Food Access ◽

Food Systems ◽

Food Policy ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Farmers Markets ◽

Cross Sectional ◽

Food Policy Councils ◽

Nationally Representative ◽

Healthy Food Access

Food policy councils (FPCs) are one form of community coalition that aims to address challenges to local food systems and enhance availability, accessibility, and affordability of healthy foods for local residents. We used data from the 2014 National Survey of Community-Based Policy and Environmental Supports for Healthy Eating and Active Living, a nationally representative survey of US municipalities (n = 2029), to examine the prevalence of FPCs and cross-sectional associations between FPCs and four types of supports for healthy food access (approaches to help food stores, practices to support farmers markets, transportation-related supports, and community planning documents). Overall, 7.7% of municipalities reported having a local or regional FPC. FPCs were more commonly reported among larger municipalities with ≥50,000 people (29.2%, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 21.6, 36.8) and western region municipalities (13.2%, 95% CI: 9.6, 16.8). After multivariable adjustment, municipalities with FPCs had significantly higher odds of having all four types of supports, compared to those without FPCs (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) range: 2.4–3.4). Among municipalities with FPCs (n = 156), 41% reported having a local government employee or elected official as a member, and 46% had a designated health or public health representative. Although FPCs were uncommon, municipalities that reported having a local or regional FPC were more likely to report having supports for healthy food access for their residents.

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Approaches for Implementing Healthy Food Interventions in Settings With Limited Resources: A Case Study of Sodium Reduction Interventions in Emergency Food Programs Addressing Food Insecurity

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/08901171211056121 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 089011712110561

Author(s):

Karen Strazza ◽

Julia Jordan ◽

Kate Ferriola-Bruckenstein ◽

Heather Kane ◽

John Whitehill ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Food Insecurity ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Limited Resources ◽

Washington County ◽

Sodium Reduction ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Structured Interviews ◽

Key Stakeholders ◽

Food Programs ◽

Access To Healthy Foods

Purpose This study describes how recipients of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funded Sodium Reduction in Communities Program (SRCP) worked with emergency food programs to improve access to healthy food to address chronic conditions. Design SRCP recipients partnered with emergency food programs to implement sodium reduction strategies including nutrition standards, procurement practices, environmental strategies, and behavioral economics approaches. Setting SRCP recipients and emergency food programs in Washington County and Benton County, Arkansas and King County, Washington. Subjects SRCP recipient staff, emergency food program staff, and key stakeholders. Measures We conducted semi-structured interviews with key stakeholders and systematic review of program documents. Analysis Data were analyzed using effects matrices for each recipient. Matrices were organized using select implementation science constructs and compared in a cross-case analysis. Results Despite limited resources, emergency food programs can implement sodium reduction interventions which may provide greater access to healthy foods and lead to reductions in health disparities. Emergency food programs successfully implemented sodium reduction interventions by building on the external and internal settings; selecting strategies that align with existing processes; implementing change incrementally and engaging staff, volunteers, and clients; and sustaining changes. Conclusion Findings contribute to understanding the ways in which emergency food programs and other organizations with limited resources have implemented public health nutrition interventions addressing food insecurity and improving access to healthy foods. These strategies may be transferable to other settings with limited resources.

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Childhood Experiences and Sporting Event Visitors’ Preference for Unhealthy versus Healthy Foods: Priming the Route to Obesity?

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu10111670 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 10 (11) ◽

pp. 1670 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Joerg Koenigstorfer

Keyword(s):

Leisure Time ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Sporting Events ◽

Unhealthy Food ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Childhood Memories ◽

Childhood Experiences ◽

Sporting Event ◽

Food And Drink ◽

Flea Market

To date, there is little knowledge about how experiences in childhood frame adults’ food and drink consumption patterns in the context of attending sporting events as spectators. Therefore, the goal of this study was to explore the childhood memories of adults when they visited sporting events and find out whether and why this particular setting makes individuals indulge in unhealthy food. The study comprises two components: Study 1 and Study 2. In Study 1, 30 individuals recalled their childhood experiences of sport stadium visits at the age of ten years or younger. Inductive coding of the stories revealed that on-site enjoyment is an important factor that may lead to unhealthy food consumption. In Study 2 (n = 240), the effect of enjoyment on the intentions to eat unhealthy versus healthy food at sporting events was tested empirically and contrasted with two other leisure-time activities. The results of the experiment revealed that it is not enjoyment, but the visit to sporting or music events (versus a flea market) that increased the preference for unhealthy versus healthy foods. Implications to decrease (increase) the preference for unhealthy (healthy) food in these particular settings against the background of childhood experiences can be drawn.

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Promoting healthy foods in the new digital era: An experimental study on the effect of a popular versus fictitious ‘Insta-influencer’ on brand attitude and purchase intentions

10.21203/rs.3.rs-51632/v1 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Frans Folkvord ◽

Elze Roes ◽

Kris Bevelander

Keyword(s):

Experimental Study ◽

Purchase Intention ◽

Food Product ◽

Underlying Mechanism ◽

Purchase Intentions ◽

Brand Attitude ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Parasocial Interaction ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Digital Era

Abstract Background: Most studies on influencer marketing techniques have focused on the promotion of unhealthy foods whereas little is known about the promotion of healthier foods. The present experimental study investigated whether a popular real versus fictitious social influencer is more successful in promoting healthy food products. In addition, we examined the role of parasocial interaction as an underlying mechanism of healthy food product endorsement. Methods: We used a randomized between-subject design with 154 participants (age: 24.0 years). Viewers’ product attitude and purchase intention were tested after exposure to an Instagram post by a popular social influencer (n = 77) or fictitious social influencer (n= 77).Results: Results showed that parasocial interaction mediated the relation between the type of social influencer and product attitude as well as purchase intention. Parasocial interaction was higher for participants exposed to the popular influencer compared to the fictitious influencer, leading to higher healthy food brand attitude and purchase intentions. Discussion: The findings showed that it is crucial for influencers to establish a warm personal relationship and connection with the their followers when promoting a healthy product successfully. We suggest that the promotion of healthy foods could be more successful in public health when using popular social influencers.

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Marketing and family-related factors affecting food label use: the mediating role of consumer knowledge

British Food Journal ◽

10.1108/bfj-07-2021-0839 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Daleen Van der Merwe ◽

Hanli de Beer ◽

Marli Nel ◽

Susanna M. Ellis

Keyword(s):

Food Choices ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Objective Knowledge ◽

Food Label ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Related Factors ◽

Content Type ◽

Mediating Role ◽

The Relationship

PurposeThis study investigated the influence of marketing- and family-related factors on consumers' in-store usage of different types of food label information. Furthermore, the authors determined the mediating role of consumers' knowledge about healthy foods between these factors and their label consultation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a survey among 223 purposively selected South African working female consumers via social media. Subjective and objective knowledge about healthy foods, the importance of marketing- and family-related factors and the extent of food label usage were determined. Structural equation modelling served to test the mediating effect of knowledge in the relationship of the marketing and family-related factors with food label usage.FindingsMarketing-related factors demonstrated a strong direct effect on food label usage. Subjective knowledge about healthy foods mediated the relationship between family members' dietary needs and food label usage. However, objective knowledge was not a mediator.Practical implicationsRespondents' firm reliance on marketing-related factors (instead of knowledge) during food label usage is not in the best interest of consumers' healthy food choices. Healthy food choices based on factual knowledge rather than marketing efforts are necessary to establish long-term healthy food habits, hence the need for retailers' response in supplying healthier food options. Role players in consumer education should focus on increasing consumers' healthy food knowledge.Originality/valueIn the context of rising awareness of public health concerns, healthy food choice among consumers is essential. This study contributes to the complexity of consumers' need to make healthy food choices within an economic-driven marketing environment.

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A neurobehavioral study on the efficacy of price interventions in promoting healthy food choices among low socioeconomic families

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-71082-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Tannista Banerjee ◽

Veena Chattaraman ◽

Hao Zou ◽

Gopikrishna Deshpande

Keyword(s):

Low Socioeconomic Status ◽

Calorific Value ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Fiscal Policies ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Status Change ◽

Low Socioeconomic ◽

Food Items ◽

Policy Interventions ◽

The Brain

Abstract Given the healthcare costs associated with obesity (especially in childhood), governments have tried several fiscal and policy interventions such as lowering tax and giving rebates to encourage parents to choose healthier food for their family. The efficacy of such fiscal policies is currently being debated. Here we address this issue by investigating how behavioral and brain-based responses in parents with low socioeconomic status change when rebates and lower taxes are offered on healthy food items. We performed behavioral and brain-based experiments, with the latter employing electroencephalography (EEG) acquired from parents while they shop in a simulated shopping market as well as follow up functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) in the more restricted scanner environment. Behavioral data show that lower tax and rebate on healthy foods increase their purchase significantly compared to baseline. Rebate has a higher effect than lower tax treatment. From the EEG and fMRI experiments, we first show that healthy/unhealthy foods elicit least/maximal reward response in the brain, respectively. Further, by offering lower tax or rebate on healthy food items, the reward signal for such items in the brain is significantly enhanced. Second, we demonstrate that rebate is more effective than lower tax in encouraging consumers to purchase healthy food items, driven in part, by higher reward-related response in the brain for rebate. Third, fiscal interventions decreased the amount of frontal cognitive control required to buy healthy foods despite their lower calorific value as compared to unhealthy foods. Finally, we propose that it is possible to titrate the amount of tax reductions and rebates on healthy food items so that they consistently become more preferable than unhealthy foods.

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Association of Home Food Availability with Prediabetes and Diabetes among Adults in the United States

Nutrients ◽

10.3390/nu12051209 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (5) ◽

pp. 1209

Author(s):

Jennifer R. McAtee ◽

Meng-Hua Tao ◽

Christian King ◽

Weiwen Chai

Keyword(s):

Food Availability ◽

The United States ◽

Healthy Food ◽

Inverse Association ◽

Healthy Foods ◽

Low Fat ◽

Health And Nutrition ◽

Healthy Food Availability ◽

Home Food ◽

Home Food Availability

This study examined associations of home food availabilities with prediabetes and diabetes among 8929 adults (20–70 years) participating in 2007–2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated by logistic regression. Relative to non-diabetic participants (individuals without diabetes or prediabetes), prediabetes participants were associated with lower availabilities of green vegetables (OR = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.73–0.91; p = 0.0006) and fat-free/low-fat milk (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.65–0.89; p = 0.001) and higher sugary drink availability (OR = 1.24, 95% CI = 1.04–1.48; p = 0.02), adjusting for age, sex, and ethnicity (Model 1). The associations remained significant for vegetables (p = 0.005) and fat-free/low-fat milk (p = 0.02) adjusting for additional confounders (body mass index, education, Model 2). Adjusting for dietary components did not change the above results (in model 2) significantly. Participants with high healthy food availability scores had approximately 31% reduction (p = 0.003) in odds of prediabetes compared to those with low scores in Model 1. No associations were detected for diabetes except for fat-free/low-fat milk availability, for which an inverse association was observed in Model 1 (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.65–0.99; p = 0.04). The results show prediabetes participants had lower availability of healthy foods and higher availability of unhealthy foods, suggesting the need to improve healthy food availability at home for this population.

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