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How Health‐Related Signs Unexpectedly Promote Healthy Choices: Long‐term Conclusion for Nordic Cafeteria
Author(s) -
Wansink Brian,
Karevold Knut Ivar,
Kallbekken Steffen,
Tran Huy
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.31.1_supplement.640.2
Subject(s) - cafeteria , healthy food , healthy diet , medicine , vital signs , signs and symptoms , environmental health , cooking methods , food choice , advertising , food science , business , biology , surgery , pathology
Signs promoting healthy choices are becoming increasingly common in restaurants and buffets. Although some people avoid foods with healthy signs, could these signs guide them to take other healthy foods that do not have such signs? In analyzing the food taken by 4,521 guests at lunch buffets we found that when health‐related signs (“Eat Smart”) were placed on Bean Salad, the percent of guests who selected this salad decreased by 3.1% but the percent of guests who selected the Hot Vegetable side dishes (foods with no signs) increased by 15.5%. While adding health‐related signs may not benefit the healthy options that these signs are associated with, it can increase the selection of healthy foods in other areas of the buffet. Furthermore, placing healthy options with contrasting dishes, such as hot vegetables with hot meat, could stimulate the consumption of these healthy foods. Support or Funding Information Nordic Choice Hotels, Eat Forum, and GreeNudge.