Women choose healthy items when first listed on the menu


Researchers at Flinders University in South Australia have found that by listing healthy foods at the beginning of online menus, women are much more likely to make healthier choices.

The team sought to find out if menu placement could influence choices and promote a healthier diet. They asked participants to choose between one menu with snack items sorted by health and a second menu with no items ordered.

“Participants who see healthy items at the top of the online menu are 30-40% more likely to choose healthy items than participants who see healthy items further down the menu. “I see,” said Indah Gynell, Principal Investigator at Flinders University Ph. D. candidate.

Last year, more than 5.5 million Australians used food delivery services such as Uber Eats and Menulog, up from 3.9 million in the previous year and 3.3 million in 2018, according to a Roy Morgan study.

“Diet-related illnesses and illnesses are more common than ever. With increasing online food orders, it’s important to uncover cost-effective and simple public health initiatives,” Gynell said. Mr. says.

Women were selected because previous studies showed that women place more importance on a healthy diet. As a result, they are more likely to make dietary decisions that affect menu selection.

This paper reveals a simple solution that may shape a healthy dietary intervention in the real world.

“Changing the order of menus that don’t require adding or removing items can impact profits, as consumers aren’t discouraged from buying altogether and are led to healthier options. It’s low, “Gynell said. “This means that it is likely to be accepted by food suppliers.”

The team is currently working on expanding this research to a full menu.

“The study published in the current paper used snack foods, but we’re working on a full menu (side dish, entree, dessert) test,” Gynell emailed the Epoch Times. Told to.

The results of this study may extend to groceries. Although grocery shopping is considered an “essential” service within the limits of COVID-19, many consumers choose to deliver groceries to avoid exposure to the virus.

Jesse Chan

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