Could Behavioral Economics Help Improve Diet Quality for Nutrition ...
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used in public health efforts to improve diet quality and reduce body weight among U.S. food assis. tance program participants? ...
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Could Behavioral Economics Help Improve Diet Quality for Nutrition Assistance Program Participants?Page 1Report SummaryERSAs obesity has come to the forefront of public health concerns there is growing interest in finding ways to guide consumers food choices to be more beneficial for their longterm health.About one in five Americans participates in at least one of the nutrition assistance programssponsored by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. This study uses behavioral economics foodmarketing and psychology to identify possible options for improving the diets and health of participants in the Food Stamp Program; the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for WomenInfants and Children (WIC); and the National School Lunch and School Breakfast Programs.What Is the Issue?USDA and other public health agencies historically have provided recommendations on how to makefood choices that promote health and prevent disease. Food manufacturers and marketers on theother hand have discovered that certain psychological cues such as packaging and presentation areefficient ways to increase consumption of their products. Could similar marketing approaches beused in public health efforts to improve diet quality and reduce body weight among U.S. food assistance program participants? Insights from behavioral economics shed light on several factors thatcould help economists and policymakers better understand food choices. In 2005 over half of allnutrition assistance program participants were children. Many notions about what is good or acceptable to eat are determined in childhood. Improving diet quality among these nutrition program participants has the potential to guide food choices at a critical time when a childs dietary preferencesare being defined.What Did the Study Find?This study incorporates findings from behavioral economics food marketing and psychology to propose insights into how people make food decisions. Recognizing that consumption choices are determined by factors o ...
Source: www.ers.usda.gov
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