Impact of proximity of healthier versus less healthy foods on intake: A lab-based experiment.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Placing food further away from people decreases likelihood of consumption ("Proximity Effect"). However, it is unclear how proximity affects consumption when both healthier and less healthy foods are available and cognitive resource for self-control is limited.

Aims

To test the hypothesis that when both healthier (raisins) and less healthy (chocolate M&Ms) foods are available, placing less healthy food far, rather than near, increases the likelihood that healthier food is consumed.

Methods

General population participants (N = 248) were all put under cognitive load and randomised to one of four groups: 1. Raisins near (20 cm), M&Ms far (70 cm); 2. Both foods near; 3. M&Ms near, raisins far; 4. Both far.

Primary outcome

proportions of participants cons

SUBMITTER: Hunter JA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6335384 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature