Making healthy choices easier.

Citation

Allan J (2016) Making healthy choices easier.. Food Standards Scotland. FSS 16/12/06. Aberdeen.

Abstract
1.1 This paper is for information 1.2 This paper presents a summary of behavioural science evidence relevant to attempts to change consumer’s food choices and dietary behaviours. The evidence presented demonstrates that most food choices are made with little conscious awareness or deliberation, and are heavily influenced by habits and food cues/ opportunities in the surrounding environment. This suggests that while educational and motivational strategies may play a valuable role in informing consumers about the risks and benefits of different food choices, they are unlikely to lead to sustainable shifts in population level behaviour. More successful strategies may be those which require little effort or input from consumers. I recommend that the following four points be considered; Humans are hard wired to enjoy high fat/high sugar foods but there may be possibilities for ‘damage limitation’ in food provision, where reduced portions of unhealthy but frequently consumed foods are made routinely available, easier to obtain and ‘normal’. Food choices are largely driven by what is available / appealing at the moment of choice. Making healthy (or less unhealthy) options, more common, more visible and more convenient may increase the chances that they are selected. Food choice requires comparisons between products. When large numbers of products are available (as is often the norm), product summaries which allow information to be absorbed ‘at a glance’ may help consumers to identify products that meet all of their requirements (i.e. taste, health, price etc). Many of the strategies which could change consumer behaviour require co-operation from food retailers and manufacturers. Identifying those which would be mutually beneficial may increase the chances that interventions are adopted and implemented. Concrete examples of strategies to achieve these recommendations are outlined in section 3.2 / 3.3 below.