학술논문

Long-Term Effectiveness of a Multi-Strategy Choice Architecture Intervention in Increasing Healthy Food Choices of High-School Students From Online Canteens (Click & Crunch High Schools): Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial
Document Type
Academic Journal
Source
Journal of Medical Internet Research. March 19, 2024, Vol. 26 Issue 3
Subject
Australia
Language
English
ISSN
1439-4456
Abstract
Background School canteens are a recommended setting to influence adolescent nutrition due to their scope to improve student food choices. Online lunch ordering systems (“online canteens”) are increasingly used and represent attractive infrastructure to implement choice architecture interventions that nudge users toward healthier food choices. A recent cluster randomized controlled trial demonstrated the short-term effectiveness (2-month follow-up) of a choice architecture intervention to increase the healthiness of foods purchased by high school students from online canteens. However, there is little evidence regarding the long-term effectiveness of choice architecture interventions targeting adolescent food purchases, particularly those delivered online. Objective This study aimed to determine the long-term effectiveness of a multi-strategy choice architecture intervention embedded within online canteen infrastructure in high schools at a 15-month follow-up. Methods A cluster randomized controlled trial was undertaken with 1331 students (from 9 high schools) in New South Wales, Australia. Schools were randomized to receive the automated choice architecture intervention (including menu labeling, positioning, feedback, and prompting strategies) or the control (standard online ordering). The foods purchased were classified according to the New South Wales Healthy Canteen strategy as either “everyday,” “occasional,” or “should not be sold.” Primary outcomes were the average proportion of “everyday,” “occasional,” and “should not be sold” items purchased per student. Secondary outcomes were the mean energy, saturated fat, sugar, and sodium content of purchases. Outcomes were assessed using routine data collected by the online canteen. Results From baseline to 15-month follow-up, on average, students in the intervention group ordered significantly more “everyday” items (+11.5%, 95% CI 7.3% to 15.6%; P Conclusions Given their longer-term effectiveness, choice architecture interventions delivered via online canteens may represent a promising option for policy makers to support healthy eating among high school students. Trial Registration Australian Clinical Trials ACTRN12620001338954, https://anzctr.org.au/Trial/Registration/TrialReview.aspx?id=380546; Open Science Framework osf.io/h8zfr, https://osf.io/h8zfr/
Introduction Background Adolescents internationally are prone to having poor quality diets [1-3], which are associated with a higher risk of obesity, poor mental health and well-being, and an increased risk [...]