Promoting low-fat entree choices in a public cafeteria.

Workers walked into a hospital cafeteria. They saw a bright poster every day.

The poster listed two things: why low-fat food helps your heart, and which hot entree that day was low-fat.

Researchers counted every lunch bought for weeks. They took the poster away, then put it back, then took it away again. This ABAB reversal showed if the sign really mattered.

When the poster hung by the cash register, low-fat lunches rose from 20% to 35% of all entrees.

That 15-point jump stayed while the poster stayed. Sales dropped when the poster left and rose again when it returned.

The whole test covered 3,264 lunch choices. The sign cost about 80 dollars total.

Hake et al. (1983) did an earlier health nudge. They mailed one letter plus feedback to dentists. X-ray shielding shot up for nine months. Both studies show cheap paper cues can shift adult health behavior.

Davison et al. (1984) gave burn patients daily feedback on protein eaten. Info alone raised intake. The cafeteria poster used info too, but in a public setting with no staff time.

Ferrari et al. (1991) posted quiet-zone signs to cut loud headphones. Signs helped a little, yet peer modeling worked better. Their finding warns us that posters may be weaker than live models, even when both use an ABAB design.

You can change adult food choices without tokens, lectures, or staff prompts. One poster near the point of purchase does the job. Try it in workplace cafeterias, hospital grills, or school staff rooms. Swap the message each week to keep it fresh. Track entree sales for a quick read on impact.