Small changes in choice architecture in a military lunchroom1
- 15.03.2016
- English Articles
- Gertrud Winkler
- Agnes Streber
- Birgit Filipiak-Pittroff
Peer-reviewed | Manuscript received: December 01, 2015 | Revision accepted: January 22, 2016
Do they nudge towards healthier food choices?
Introduction and objective
Nudging in food catering aims to change diners’ selection of food without coercion or prohibition - in this case in favour of a healthier selection of food and drink. Nudging encompasses all interventions through which the characteristics or positioning of food and drink or related stimuli are altered. These alterations are made in the serving area, where diners should choose a healthier selection. The alterations are usually not consciously perceived and processed; they influence the selection behaviour of multiple diners at the same time and are not tailored to specific individuals. The interventions are usually simple, can be made without loss in overall turnover and whilst retaining the freedom of choice [1–3].
As part of the research on occupational health management in the German Armed Forces, this study examined whether nudging measures encouraged the selection of healthy food and drink by diners in the short and medium term at a selected canteen (Kaufbeuren Air Base).
1 This article is a shortened version of Chapter 6.2 “Gesundheitsförderliche Speisenauswahl” (Healthy Food Selection) of the German Armed Forces’ internal expert report entitled “Erprobungsvorhaben im Rahmen der Einführung eines BGM” (Trial Projects as Part of the Introduction of Occupational Health Management).
Summary
Nudging is a term that refers to a set of interventions which introduce simple changes to the design of the psychological, social and physical environment, to encourage people to make better decisions and change their behavior without coercion. As part of the introduction of occupational health management in the German Armed Forces, this study examined whether simple nudging measures increased the selection of healthy food and drink in the military canteen at Kaufbeuren Air Base. The results showed that, after the introduction of nudging measures, more diners chose salad as an accompaniment and fruit as a dessert and the proportion of water chosen from a range of free drinks increased.
Keywords: nudging, choice architecture, catering services, healthy choice, nutritional behavior
