IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v18y2021i24p12924-d697384.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Cafeteria Online: Nudges for Healthier Food Choices in a University Cafeteria—A Randomized Online Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Christine Kawa

    (Department of Management Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, 53359 Rheinbach, Germany)

  • Patrizia M. Ianiro-Dahm

    (Department of Management Sciences, University of Applied Sciences Bonn-Rhein-Sieg, 53359 Rheinbach, Germany)

  • Jan F. H. Nijhuis

    (Department of Educational Research and Development, School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6211 LM Maastricht, The Netherlands)

  • Wim H. Gijselaers

    (Department of Educational Research and Development, School of Business and Economics, Maastricht University, 6211 LM Maastricht, The Netherlands)

Abstract

Many people do not consume as much healthy food as recommended. Nudging has been identified as a promising intervention strategy to increase the consumption of healthy food. The present study analyzed the effects of three body shape nudges (thin, thick, or Giacometti artwork) on food ordering and assessed the mediating role of being aware of the nudge. Students (686) and employees (218) of a German university participated in an online experimental study. After randomization, participants visited a realistic online cafeteria and composed a meal for themselves. Under experimental conditions, participants were exposed to one out of three nudges while choosing dishes: (1) thin body shape, (2) thick body shape, and (3) the Giacometti artwork nudge. The Giacometti nudge resulted in more orders for salad among employees. The thin and thick body shape nudges did not change dish orders. Awareness of the nudge mediated the numbers of calories ordered when using the Giacometti or thin body shape nudges. These findings provide useful insights for health interventions in occupational and public health sectors using nudges. Our study contributes to the research on the Giacometti nudge by showing its effectiveness when participants are aware (it is effective under conditions where it is consciously perceived).

Suggested Citation

  • Christine Kawa & Patrizia M. Ianiro-Dahm & Jan F. H. Nijhuis & Wim H. Gijselaers, 2021. "Cafeteria Online: Nudges for Healthier Food Choices in a University Cafeteria—A Randomized Online Experiment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-13, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:24:p:12924-:d:697384
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/24/12924/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/18/24/12924/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Margaret C. Campbell & Gina S. Mohr, 2011. "Seeing Is Eating: How and When Activation of a Negative Stereotype Increases Stereotype-Conducive Behavior," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 38(3), pages 431-444.
    2. Hummel, Dennis & Maedche, Alexander, 2019. "How effective is nudging? A quantitative review on the effect sizes and limits of empirical nudging studies," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 47-58.
    3. Brent McFerran & Darren W. Dahl & Gavan J. Fitzsimons & Andrea C. Morales, 2010. "I'll Have What She's Having: Effects of Social Influence and Body Type on the Food Choices of Others," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 36(6), pages 915-929, April.
    4. Hendrik Bruns & Elena Kantorowicz-Reznichenko & Katharina Klement & Marijane Luistro Jonsson & Bilel Rahali, 2018. "Can nudges be transparent and yet effective?," Post-Print hal-01824076, HAL.
    5. Bruns, Hendrik & Kantorowicz-Reznichenko, Elena & Klement, Katharina & Luistro Jonsson, Marijane & Rahali, Bilel, 2018. "Can nudges be transparent and yet effective?," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 65(C), pages 41-59.
    6. Otterbring, Tobias & Shams, Poja, 2019. "Mirror, mirror, on the menu: Visual reminders of overweight stimulate healthier meal choices," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 177-183.
    7. Ellen van Kleef & Florine Kremer & Hans C. M. van Trijp, 2020. "The Impact of a Gradual Healthier Assortment among Vocational Schools Participating in a School Canteen Programme: Evidence from Sales and Student Survey Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(12), pages 1-16, June.
    8. Marisabel Romero & Dipayan Biswas, 2016. "Healthy-Left, Unhealthy-Right: Can Displaying Healthy Items to the Left (versus Right) of Unhealthy Items Nudge Healthier Choices?," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 43(1), pages 103-112.
    9. J. M. Bauer & L. A. Reisch, 2019. "Behavioural Insights and (Un)healthy Dietary Choices: a Review of Current Evidence," Journal of Consumer Policy, Springer, vol. 42(1), pages 3-45, March.
    10. Miller, Gabrielle F. & Gupta, Sonam & Kropp, Jaclyn D. & Grogan, Kelly A. & Mathews, Anne, 2016. "The effects of pre-ordering and behavioral nudges on National School Lunch Program participants’ food item selection," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 55(C), pages 4-16.
    11. Romain Cadario & Pierre Chandon, 2020. "Which Healthy Eating Nudges Work Best? A Meta-Analysis of Field Experiments," Marketing Science, INFORMS, vol. 39(3), pages 465-486, May.
    12. Nader Hamdi & Brenna Ellison & Jennifer McCaffrey & Jessica Jarick Metcalfe & Ashley Hoffman & Pamela Haywood & Melissa Pflugh Prescott, 2020. "Implementation of a Multi-Component School Lunch Environmental Change Intervention to Improve Child Fruit and Vegetable Intake: A Mixed-Methods Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-17, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Christine Kawa & Wim H. Gijselaers & Jan F. H. Nijhuis & Patrizia M. Ianiro-Dahm, 2022. "Are You “Nudgeable”? Factors Affecting the Acceptance of Healthy Eating Nudges in a Cafeteria Setting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-20, March.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Christine Kawa & Wim H. Gijselaers & Jan F. H. Nijhuis & Patrizia M. Ianiro-Dahm, 2022. "Are You “Nudgeable”? Factors Affecting the Acceptance of Healthy Eating Nudges in a Cafeteria Setting," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(7), pages 1-20, March.
    2. Bauer, Jan M. & Aarestrup, Simon C. & Hansen, Pelle G. & Reisch, Lucia A., 2022. "Nudging more sustainable grocery purchases: Behavioural innovations in a supermarket setting," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    3. Otterbring, Tobias & Shams, Poja, 2019. "Mirror, mirror, on the menu: Visual reminders of overweight stimulate healthier meal choices," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 177-183.
    4. Karola Bastini & Rudolf Kerschreiter & Maik Lachmann & Matthias Ziegler & Tim Sawert, 2024. "Encouraging Individual Contributions to Net-Zero Organizations: Effects of Behavioral Policy Interventions and Social Norms," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 192(3), pages 543-560, July.
    5. Lemken, Dominic, 2020. "When do defaults stick and when are they ethical? Taxonomy, sytematic review and design recommendations," DARE Discussion Papers 2005, Georg-August University of Göttingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development (DARE).
    6. Lemken, Dominic, 2020. "When do defaults stick and when are they ethical? - taxonomy, systematic review and design recommendations," Key Food Choices and Climate Change Project 307568, Georg-August-Universitaet Goettingen, Department of Agricultural Economics and Rural Development.
    7. Dominic Lemken & Ainslee Erhard & Simone Wahnschafft, 2024. "A choice architect’s guide to the (autonomous) galaxy: a systematic scoping review of nudge intrusiveness in food choices," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-15, December.
    8. Luca Congiu & Ivan Moscati, 2022. "A review of nudges: Definitions, justifications, effectiveness," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 36(1), pages 188-213, February.
    9. Lemken, Dominic & Simonetti, Aline & Heinke, Gloria & Estevez, Ana, 2024. "Evidence on the effectiveness-acceptance trade-off between forced active choice and default nudging - A field study to reduce meat consumption in cafeterias," 2024 Annual Meeting, July 28-30, New Orleans, LA 343537, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    10. Banerjee, Sanchayan & Galizzi, Matteo M. & John, Peter & Mourato, Susana, 2022. "What works best in promoting climate citizenship? A randomised, systematic evaluation of nudge, think, boost and nudge+," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 115032, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    11. Helena Fornwagner & Oliver P. Hauser, 2022. "Climate Action for (My) Children," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 81(1), pages 95-130, January.
    12. Bauer, Jan M. & Nielsen, Kristian S. & Hofmann, Wilhelm & Reisch, Lucia A., 2022. "Healthy eating in the wild: An experience-sampling study of how food environments and situational factors shape out-of-home dietary success," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    13. Grandi, Benedetta & Burt, Steve & Cardinali, Maria Grazia, 2021. "Encouraging healthy choices in the retail store environment: Combining product information and shelf allocation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    14. Müller, Laurin & Jacke, Christian Olaf, 2024. "Psychologie in der Gesundheitsförderung: ein Scoping Review," WIP-Analysen September 2024, WIP – Wissenschaftliches Institut der PKV.
    15. Otterbring, Tobias & Folwarczny, Michał, 2024. "Social validation, reciprocation, and sustainable orientation: Cultivating “clean†codes of conduct through social influence," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    16. Qi, Danyi & Li, Ran & Penn, Jerrod & Houghtaling, Bailey & Prinyawiwatkul, Witoon & Roe, Brian E., 2022. "Nudging greater vegetable intake and less food waste: A field experiment," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C).
    17. Perino, Grischa & Schwirplies, Claudia, 2022. "Meaty arguments and fishy effects: Field experimental evidence on the impact of reasons to reduce meat consumption," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 114(C).
    18. Tobias Schütze & Carsten Spitzer & Philipp C. Wichardt & Philipp Christoph Wichardt, 2023. "Nudging: An Experiment on Transparency, Controlling for Reactance and Decision Time," CESifo Working Paper Series 10599, CESifo.
    19. Erev, Ido & Hiller, Maximilian & Klößner, Stefan & Lifshitz, Gal & Mertins, Vanessa & Roth, Yefim, 2022. "Promoting healthy behavior through repeated deposit contracts: An intervention study," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    20. Bruns, Hendrik & Perino, Grischa, 2023. "The role of autonomy and reactance for nudging — Experimentally comparing defaults to recommendations and mandates," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 106(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:18:y:2021:i:24:p:12924-:d:697384. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.