Nudging sugar portions: a real-world experiment.
environmental intervention
nudging
real-world experiment
sugar overconsumption
Journal
BMC nutrition
ISSN: 2055-0928
Titre abrégé: BMC Nutr
Pays: England
ID NLM: 101672434
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
12 Nov 2021
12 Nov 2021
Historique:
received:
01
05
2021
accepted:
05
10
2021
entrez:
12
11
2021
pubmed:
13
11
2021
medline:
13
11
2021
Statut:
epublish
Résumé
Sugar overconsumption is a major contributor to overweight and obesity, with daily consumption greatly exceeding the WHO's recommendations. The aim of the present study was to determine whether using a functionally modified sugar shaker as a food environment nudge could be an effective means to reduce the sugar used in hot beverages. Sugar shakers were functionally modified to reduce the amount of sugar in each pour by 47%. A real-world experiment was conducted to compare the amount of added sugar per hot beverage during default and nudge conditions over the course of four weeks (17,233 hot beverages sold) in a university take-away café. In addition, 59 customers were surveyed to evaluate the acceptance of the intervention. Modifying the functional design of sugar shakers resulted in a reduction of added sugar by 20% (d = 1.35) compared to the default condition. In the survey, most participants evaluated the intervention strategy positively. The present real-world experiment demonstrates that a simple environmental intervention can significantly reduce sugar consumption in public places while meeting with consumer approval, making it a promising means of reducing sugar overconsumption.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Sugar overconsumption is a major contributor to overweight and obesity, with daily consumption greatly exceeding the WHO's recommendations. The aim of the present study was to determine whether using a functionally modified sugar shaker as a food environment nudge could be an effective means to reduce the sugar used in hot beverages.
METHODS
METHODS
Sugar shakers were functionally modified to reduce the amount of sugar in each pour by 47%. A real-world experiment was conducted to compare the amount of added sugar per hot beverage during default and nudge conditions over the course of four weeks (17,233 hot beverages sold) in a university take-away café. In addition, 59 customers were surveyed to evaluate the acceptance of the intervention.
RESULTS
RESULTS
Modifying the functional design of sugar shakers resulted in a reduction of added sugar by 20% (d = 1.35) compared to the default condition. In the survey, most participants evaluated the intervention strategy positively.
CONCLUSION
CONCLUSIONS
The present real-world experiment demonstrates that a simple environmental intervention can significantly reduce sugar consumption in public places while meeting with consumer approval, making it a promising means of reducing sugar overconsumption.
Identifiants
pubmed: 34763727
doi: 10.1186/s40795-021-00473-9
pii: 10.1186/s40795-021-00473-9
pmc: PMC8588652
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Pagination
65Informations de copyright
© 2021. The Author(s).
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