Can changing the position of online menu items increase selection of fruit and vegetable snacks? A cluster randomized trial within an online canteen ordering system in Australian primary schools.
RCT
canteens
children
choice architecture
intervention
nudging
online
position
school
Journal
The American journal of clinical nutrition
ISSN: 1938-3207
Titre abrégé: Am J Clin Nutr
Pays: United States
ID NLM: 0376027
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
01 05 2019
01 05 2019
Historique:
received:
28
06
2018
accepted:
14
11
2018
pubmed:
6
4
2019
medline:
24
12
2019
entrez:
6
4
2019
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Manipulating the position of food items within the physical food environment has consistently been found to influence item selection. However, the extent to which this strategy is effective in an online food environment is unknown. This study investigated whether an intervention to position fruit and vegetable snack items as the first and last menu items in an online school canteen ordering system increased the selection of those items. It was hypothesized that at follow-up, a higher proportion of online lunch orders in intervention schools would contain the target items (fruit and vegetable snacks) in comparison to control schools. Six primary schools in New South Wales, Australia, were recruited to a clustered randomized controlled trial conducted over an 8-wk period. Intervention schools received a redesigned menu where the target items were positioned first and last on the online menu. Control schools received no change to their online menu. During the baseline period 1938 students (1203 intervention, 735 control) placed at least one online lunch order and were included in the study, with 16,109 orders placed throughout the study. There was no significant difference between groups over time in the proportion of orders that contained a "Fruit and Veggie Snack" item (OR = 1.136 [95% CI: 0.791, 1.632] P = 0.490). Evidence from this large trial with robust study design and objectively collected data suggests that positioning fruit and vegetable snack items first and last within an online canteen menu does not increase the selection of these items. Further research is warranted to confirm this finding with other target menu items (e.g., treats) and across other purchasing contexts and online food ordering platforms. This trial was registered at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, http://www.anzctr.org.au/ as ACTRN12616001520426.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
Manipulating the position of food items within the physical food environment has consistently been found to influence item selection. However, the extent to which this strategy is effective in an online food environment is unknown.
OBJECTIVE
This study investigated whether an intervention to position fruit and vegetable snack items as the first and last menu items in an online school canteen ordering system increased the selection of those items. It was hypothesized that at follow-up, a higher proportion of online lunch orders in intervention schools would contain the target items (fruit and vegetable snacks) in comparison to control schools.
DESIGN
Six primary schools in New South Wales, Australia, were recruited to a clustered randomized controlled trial conducted over an 8-wk period. Intervention schools received a redesigned menu where the target items were positioned first and last on the online menu. Control schools received no change to their online menu.
RESULTS
During the baseline period 1938 students (1203 intervention, 735 control) placed at least one online lunch order and were included in the study, with 16,109 orders placed throughout the study. There was no significant difference between groups over time in the proportion of orders that contained a "Fruit and Veggie Snack" item (OR = 1.136 [95% CI: 0.791, 1.632] P = 0.490).
CONCLUSIONS
Evidence from this large trial with robust study design and objectively collected data suggests that positioning fruit and vegetable snack items first and last within an online canteen menu does not increase the selection of these items. Further research is warranted to confirm this finding with other target menu items (e.g., treats) and across other purchasing contexts and online food ordering platforms. This trial was registered at the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, http://www.anzctr.org.au/ as ACTRN12616001520426.
Identifiants
pubmed: 30949660
pii: S0002-9165(22)03180-X
doi: 10.1093/ajcn/nqy351
doi:
Banques de données
ANZCTR
['ACTRN12616001520426']
Types de publication
Journal Article
Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
1422-1430Informations de copyright
Copyright © American Society for Nutrition 2019.