Most of us are aware of the types of food we should consume to enhance our health and prevent lifestyle-related diseases like obesity and heart disease. However, we often fail to adhere to our ideal diets. One reason for this is that food producers and retailers invest heavily to sway our food choices towards pricier and processed options, leading us to overeat. Nevertheless, there are several ways to promote healthier eating habits. We recently reviewed research on how to encourage healthy eating when dining out. This review found that modifying the environment in dining and shopping spaces, along with certain behavioral techniques, can increase the likelihood of making healthier choices.
Australians generally do not consume enough fruits or vegetables, and many are overweight. Our dietary choices are among the top three factors contributing to the burden of disease in Australia. Humans gain a great deal of information by observing others around them, and fitting in is important to us. We learn how to act by watching the language, posture, and behaviors of others. These are known as social models or norms, and we determine what constitutes a normal diet by observing what others eat.
This influence is so strong that, when we see people eating healthy foods in small portions, we are more inclined to choose lower-calorie foods in smaller servings. This means we can positively affect the eating habits of our families, including children and possibly even teenagers, as well as our colleagues, while benefiting from healthy eating ourselves. Institutions like hospitals, staff canteens, and schools can leverage the power of social norms by presenting healthy meals of appropriate sizes as normal and enjoyable choices made by people similar to us. Fortunately, food producers are required to provide information about the energy content in the foods they produce.
Unfortunately, there is evidence that calorie counts on menus do not significantly influence people to select lower-calorie options. The numbers for kilojoules and calories appear to be too abstract to impact most people. An effective approach is translating these numbers into a meaningful rating system. Calorie counts become more effective when related to something tangible, such as the minutes of a specific physical activity needed to burn off the energy from a meal.
For instance, informing consumers that it takes two hours of walking to burn off a can of cola might encourage healthier choices. This method can be employed by any food-providing organization, applicable to meals, snacks, and drinks sold for dining in, takeout, or even in vending machines. There are user-friendly sources of calorie-activity ratios, including one from the Cancer Council NSW. While there is strong evidence that social norms and tangible labeling influence healthy eating behaviors when dining out, not all methods to promote healthy choices are effective. Some studies suggest using smaller plates or forks can lead to eating less. It seems logical that a meal would appear larger on a smaller plate.
However, when tested experimentally, this technique does not consistently work. When it does, it may only be effective for individuals already at a healthy weight. On a positive note, this serves as a reminder of the importance of basing behavior change efforts on evidence and testing them in real-life settings. Even if a method appears effective and has a logical explanation, it might not produce results in the field. There has been a longstanding belief that increasing the availability or altering the placement of healthy food in areas like supermarkets and cafeterias will lead consumers to make better choices. This is known as “food architecture,” and its logic seems sound, as marketers have long used product placement principles to encourage purchases and increased spending.
However, can we assume the same principles work for healthy food placement? While there is some evidence suggesting that altering food positioning in stores can boost healthier option sales, the persistent presence of alternative products and considerations like cost make it unlikely that placement alone will significantly influence our choices. A recent review of studies on food architecture indicated that while healthy food placement shows promise for promoting healthier food choices, there is still much to learn about its actual impact on diet and obesity levels. Even if these techniques prove effective, is it ethical to influence people’s eating behavior without their knowledge? Researchers and policymakers do consider the ethical implications of influencing individuals. In our everyday lives, we are constantly subjected to numerous efforts to influence us in various ways, from government policies to marketing and advertising. Even the weather affects our decisions. Efforts to modify behavior, often referred to as “nudge” and “choice architecture” by researchers and governments, merely alter aspects of the environment around us that may encourage certain choices. They do not remove decision-making power from us.