Using social norms to encourage healthier eating

Abstract

What and how much people choose to eat is influenced by social context. People tend to use the eating habits of others as a guide to appropriate consumption. This suggests that one way of encouraging healthier eating would be to provide information about the healthy eating choices of others. Research conducted as part of an Economic and Social Research Council‐funded project investigated the effect of providing information about how others eat on the purchase and consumption of vegetables in both laboratory and in field settings (restaurants). In a laboratory‐based study, we found that that while overall vegetable intake was not increased, exposure to a novel ‘liking norm’ message increased the selection and intake of broccoli from a buffet by participants who were low habitual consumers of vegetables. We also found that the liking norm increased broccoli intake even when there was a delay between exposure to the message and selection at the buffet, suggesting that the effects of social message exposure may persist beyond initial exposure. In two online studies and a laboratory study, we found that the effect of exposure to a descriptive social norm message on eating intentions and intake was moderated by the participants’ motivation to identify with the norm referent group. In three intervention studies, exposure to social norm messaging was associated with increased purchases of meals with vegetables in restaurant settings. Taken together, these results suggest that it is feasible to use social norm messages in restaurant settings and they provide information that could be used to implement randomised controlled trials.

Exploring the directionality in the relationship between descriptive and injunctive parental and peer norms and snacking behavior in a three-year-cross-lagged study

“…Most experimental research on social norms and eating behavior seem in favor of using descriptive norms to influence eating behavior because they are found to have greater effect on eating behavior compared to injunctive norms, and may avoid potential reactance effects (48-50). Although we did not manipulate the perceived norms in our study, our findings are important for this field of research when aiming to develop interventions with long term impact (11,20,51). In our study, we did not find an effect over time of perceived peer and parental descriptive norms on (un)healthy snack intake.…”

“…Research has shown that their (snack) food intake is strongly influenced by close social connections (10), which provides opportunities for prevention. The development of effective strategies to improve adolescents' eating behaviors requires an understanding of how significant others (i.e., parents and peers) influence eating behavior (11). In addition, it is important to examine whether adolescents' own eating behavior influences their perception of what close others do and approve of.…”

“…Although the research field on social norms in adolescents is still evolving, few experimental normative studies have already shown promising findings to promote healthy consumption behavior (11). For example, an intervention study successfully targeted water drinking among schoolchildren by influencing the peer group norm (20).…”

Exploring the directionality in the relationship between descriptive and injunctive parental and peer norms and snacking behavior in a three-year-cross-lagged study.

“…Most experimental research on social norms and eating behavior seem in favor of using descriptive norms to influence eating behavior because they are found to have greater effect on eating behavior compared to injunctive norms, and may avoid potential reactance effects (48)(49)(50). Although we did not manipulate the perceived norms in our study, our findings are important for this field of research when aiming to develop interventions with long term impact (11,20,51). In our study, we did not find an effect over time of perceived peer and parental descriptive norms on (un)healthy snack intake.…”

“…These social norms have been identified as powerful mechanisms in determining adolescents' and adults' consumption behavior (12,(14)(15)(16)(17)(18)(19). Although the research field on social norms in adolescents is still evolving, few experimental normative studies have already shown promising findings to promote healthy consumption behavior (11). For example, an intervention study successfully targeted water drinking among schoolchildren by influencing the peer group norm (20).…”