324760
Creating healthier school food environments: Format and placement of salad bars affect fruit and vegetable selection
Salad bars in schools have been found to contribute to increasing FV consumption in children, but their effect may be strengthened by modifying placement and reinforcing their impact by the use of appropriate health-promoting practices. The objective of the study is to determine if format and placement of salad bars enhance the amount of FV selected from salad bars.
METHODS
The study was descriptive with a cross-sectional design. Elementary school nutrition staff completed a survey on salad bar format and placement, and reported type and amount of items selected from salad bars for one week based on schools’ food service records. Data collection occurred during the Spring through Summer of 2012.
RESULTS
Six hundred and six elementary schools across the U.S. participated in the study. The amount of FV selected from salad bars per reimbursable meal differed significantly by salad bar format , (t (604) = -3.610, p < 0.001), set-up affecting visibility of salad bars, (F (2, 378) = 6.89, p = 0.001),and the number of salad bar items offered at least once during the week, (F (3, 601) = 5.54, p = 0.001).
DISCUSSION
Standalone salad bars may be more visible and serve as a cue or trigger to choose salads as compared to salad bars incorporated into the lunch line. Schools could take steps to increase the visibility of salad bars as children enter the cafeteria. Lastly, schools should consider offering approximately 12-14 different salad bar items during the week.
Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programsProgram planning
Public health or related education
Learning Objectives:
Explain how behavioral economics theory can be applied to enhance format and placement of salad bars and increase fruit and vegetable selection.
Keyword(s): Nutrition
Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Dr. Huynh has over seven years of experience conducting research and evaluation projects in chronic disease prevention and health promotion at the Federal, State, and local levels. Dr. Huynh conducts program evaluation and provides evaluation technical assistance to communities across the United States in evaluating an array of chronic disease prevention health topics.
Any relevant financial relationships? No
I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.