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Mirror, mirror, on the menu: Visual reminders of overweight stimulate healthier meal choices

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  • Otterbring, Tobias
  • Shams, Poja

Abstract

This study examined whether viewing an overweight (vs. normal weight or no) female on a food menu influences women’s visual attention toward healthy and unhealthy menu alternatives and, in turn, their actual food choices. Participants (N = 121) viewed a food menu depicting healthy and unhealthy food options, with their calorie content stated, and selected the food option they were most willing to eat. Depending on condition, the menu featured an overweight female (unhealthy), a normal weight female (healthy), or no female (control). Participants in the unhealthy condition looked more at healthy (vs. unhealthy) meal alternatives than participants in the other conditions and were more inclined to choose healthy food options with lower calorie content, with visual attention toward healthy and unhealthy meal alternatives mediating the effect of experimental condition on calorie content and food choices. These results suggest that exposure to overweight women in food settings may make customers more motivated to choose healthier meals.

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  • Otterbring, Tobias & Shams, Poja, 2019. "Mirror, mirror, on the menu: Visual reminders of overweight stimulate healthier meal choices," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 177-183.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:joreco:v:47:y:2019:i:c:p:177-183
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.11.019
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    5. Gidlöf, Kerstin & Lahm, Erik Stoltenberg & Wallin, Annika & Otterbring, Tobias, 2021. "Eco depletion: The impact of hunger on prosociality by means of environmentally friendly attitudes and behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    6. Grandi, Benedetta & Burt, Steve & Cardinali, Maria Grazia, 2021. "Encouraging healthy choices in the retail store environment: Combining product information and shelf allocation," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).
    7. Christine Kawa & Patrizia M. Ianiro-Dahm & Jan F. H. Nijhuis & Wim H. Gijselaers, 2021. "Cafeteria Online: Nudges for Healthier Food Choices in a University Cafeteria—A Randomized Online Experiment," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-13, December.
    8. Otterbring, Tobias, 2021. "Peer presence promotes popular choices: A “Spicy†field study on social influence and brand choice," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 61(C).

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