Improving Healthy Food Choices in Low-Income Settings in the United States Using Behavioral Economic-Based Adaptations to Choice Architecture

Abstract

Low diet quality is a significant public health problem in the United States, especially among low-income populations. The food environment influences dietary choices. When applied to eating behavior, behavioral economics (BE) recognizes that decision biases instigated by a food environment saturated with unhealthy foods may lead people to purchase such foods, even when they possess the necessary information and skills to make healthy dietary choices. Choice architecture, a BE concept that involves modifying the appeal or availability of choices to “nudge” people toward a certain choice, retains freedom of choice but makes unhealthy options less convenient or visible. Choice architecture has been demonstrated to influence food choices in various settings, including supermarkets, convenience stores, and food pantries. These modifications are low-cost and feasible to implement, making them a viable strategy to help “nudge” patrons toward healthier choices in food establishments serving low-income populations, including food pantries and retailers accepting the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program. This narrative review searched, appraised, and underscored the strengths and limitations of extant research studies that used choice architecture adaptations to influence food choices among low-income populations in the United States. Findings from studies in food pantry settings suggest the potential of BE strategies to improve the healthfulness of food choices and dietary intake in low-income populations. In food retail settings, research suggests that BE strategies increase sales of healthy foods, like fruits and vegetables. We identify new areas of research needed to determine if BE-based modifications in low-income settings have sustained impacts on diet quality.