Improving Healthy Eating in Children: Experimental Evidence

Arbeitspapier

We present a field experiment to study the effects of non-monetary incentives on healthy food choices of 282 children in elementary schools. Previous interventions have typically paid participants for healthy eating, but this often may not be feasible. We introduce a system where food items are graded based on their nutritional value, involving parents or classmates as change agents by providing them with information regarding the food choices of their children or friends. We find parents' involvement in the decision process to be particularly beneficial in boosting healthy food choices, with very strong results that persist months after the intervention.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 13999

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Field Experiments ; Health Behavior
• Subject: healthy eating ; children ; parents ; non-monetary incentives ; field experiment

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Charness, Gary ; Cobo-Reyes, Ramón ; Eyster, Erik ; Katz, Gabriel ; Sánchez, Ángela ; Sutter, Matthias
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2020

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/232751
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:43 AM CET