Behavioral economics and social marketing campaign increases selection and consumption of school lunch garden bar Items among elementary school students (1019.19)

Abstract

The current study assessed the effects of behavioral economics (BE) and social marketing (SM) on the selection and consumption of garden bar fruits and vegetables in elementary school students. A quasi‐experimental study evaluated the immediate and lasting effects of BE and SM on student selection and consumption of garden bar items. The BE component provided verbal prompts to take fruits and vegetables and increased availability of garden bar favorites. SM posters acted as reminders and guided selection of garden bar items. Two intervention levels were implemented: BE + SM (n=168) and SM only (n=275), and these were compared to a control (n=205). Selection and consumption were recorded using digital images of student lunch trays. Observations occurred at pre intervention, post, and follow‐up. Mixed ANOVA was used for statistical analysis. Pre‐to‐post changes in fruit selection and consumption, as well as vegetable selection, were significantly higher among BE + SM students compared to control students. Those pre‐to‐post changes remained at follow‐up. Although vegetable selection significantly increased pre to post among SM students, the change did not remain at follow‐up. A positive, but not significant, pre‐to‐follow‐up change in vegetable consumption was observed among the intervention groups. Together BE and SM appear to foster lasting effects on student selection and consumption of fruits and vegetables.Grant Funding Source: United States Department of Agriculture