Altering the availability of healthier vs. less healthy items in UK hospital vending machines: a multiple treatment reversal design.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Altering the availability of healthier or less-healthy products may increase healthier purchases, but evidence is currently limited. The current study aimed to investigate the impact of altering the absolute-and-relative availability of healthier and less-healthy products - i.e. simultaneously altering the number of options available and the proportion of healthier options - in hospital vending machines.

Methods

An adapted multiple treatment reversal design was used, altering products available in ten vending machines serving snack foods and/or cold drinks in one English hospital. Machines were randomised to one of two sequences for the seven 4-week study periods: ABCADEA or ADEABCA. In Condition A (study periods 1, 4 and 7) the proportions of healthier products w

SUBMITTER: Pechey R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6882209 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature