Oral

Research presented in this session will highlight specific applications of behavioral science principles designed to nudge children to take and eat healthier lunches at school. These applications are making fruits and vegetables more accessible, framing options in order to encourage healthy choices, pre-ordering lunches through text messages, and using environmental cues such as making fruit more visible and attractive, creating visually stimulating signs for food options, and introducing a convenience line that serves only healthier options. Given the very recent regulations just announced by the USDA, this area of research is very important since it identifies ways to improve children’s lunch-time selection and eating decisions while preserving choice.

Session Objectives: 1. Explain how certain principles in the behavioral sciences can be applied to improve the healthy attributes of foods children take and eat during lunch at school 2. Identify low-cost or no-cost changes that can be applied to virtually any school lunchroom and that encourage selection and consumption of healthier lunches 3. List different evaluation techniques to assess the impact of the applied methods.

CE Credits: Medical (CME), Health Education (CHES), Nursing (CNE), Public Health (CPH) , Masters Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES)