| Title: |
Impact of increasing the availability of healthier vs. less-healthy food on food selection: A randomised laboratory experiment |
| Authors: |
Pechey, R; Sexton, O; Codling, S; Marteau, TM |
| Publisher Information: |
BMC |
| Publication Year: |
2021 |
| Collection: |
Oxford University Research Archive (ORA) |
| Description: |
Background Environmental cues shape behaviour, but few studies compare the impact of targeting healthier vs. less-healthy cues. One online study suggested greater impact on selection from increasing the number of less-healthy (vs. healthier) snacks. The current study aimed to: (1) extend the previous study by using physically-present snacks for immediate consumption; (2) explore responsiveness by socio-economic position; (3) investigate possible mediators (response inhibition, food appeal) of any socio-economic differences in selection. Methods In a between-subjects laboratory experiment UK adults (n=417) were randomised according to their ID number (without blinding) to one of three ranges of options: Two healthier, two less-healthy [“Equal”] (n=136); Six healthier, two less-healthy [“Increased Healthier”] (n=143); Two healthier, six less-healthy [“Increased Less-Healthy”] (n=138). Participants completed measures of response inhibition and food appeal, and selected a snack for immediate consumption from their allocated range. The primary outcome was selection of a healthier (over less-healthy) snack. Results The odds of selecting a less-healthy snack were 2.9 times higher (95%CIs:1.7,5.1) in the Increased Less-Healthy condition compared to the Equal condition. The odds of selecting a healthier snack were 2.5 times higher (95%CIs:1.5,4.1) in the Increased Healthier (vs. Equal) condition. There was no significant difference in the size of these effects (-0.2; 95%CIs:-1.1,0.7). Findings were inconclusive with regard to interactions by education, but the direction of effects was consistent with potentially larger impact of the Increased Less-Healthy condition on selection for less-educated participants, and potentially larger impact of the Increased Healthier condition for higher-educated participants. Conclusions A greater impact from increasing the number of less-healthy (over healthier) foods was not replicated when selecting snacks for immediate consumption: both increased selections of the targeted foods with ... |
| Document Type: |
article in journal/newspaper |
| Language: |
English |
| DOI: |
10.1186/s12889-020-10046-3 |
| Availability: |
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-020-10046-3; https://ora.ox.ac.uk/objects/uuid:8409a9c1-9f75-4134-b2bc-dbfd4eb1913a |
| Rights: |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess ; CC Attribution (CC BY) |
| Accession Number: |
edsbas.71EE78A2 |
| Database: |
BASE |