Impact of Behavioral Economic Strategies on Low-Income Older Adults' Food Choices in Online Retail Settings

Not Applicable

Completed

Conditions: Diet Habit

Interventions: Behavioral: Simulated Grocery Shopping Exercise

Registration Number: NCT04766034

Lead Sponsor: NYU Langone Health

Brief Summary: The specific aims of this proposal are to 1) develop the components of a behavioral economics strategy (i.e., healthy bundle defaults) to influence diet behaviors; 2) characterize the online grocery shopping behaviors and attitudes of low-income adults nationally; and 3) examine the extent to which "healthy bundles defaults" and other behavioral economic strategies increase fruit and vegetable purchases among low-income adults in an online randomized controlled experiment.

Detailed Description: Not available

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 7710

Inclusion Criteria

aged 18-99 years
ability to read and speak English
have ever received SNAP benefits
live with fewer than 5 people
access to a personal computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone.

Exclusion Criteria

aged <18 years or >99 years
lack the ability to read and speak English
have never received SNAP benefits
live with 5 or more people
do not have access to a personal computer, laptop, tablet, or mobile phone

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Bundles	Simulated Grocery Shopping Exercise	The grocery shopping simulation will include healthy bundle defaults with no discount
Control	Simulated Grocery Shopping Exercise	The grocery shopping simulation will not include any discounts or bundles
Bundles and Discount	Simulated Grocery Shopping Exercise	The grocery shopping simulation will include healthy bundle defaults plus a discount
Discount	Simulated Grocery Shopping Exercise	The grocery shopping simulation will include discount on eligible fruits and vegetables

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Real Dollars Spent on Fruit and Vegetables Per Basket	Day 1	"Fruits and vegetables" are defined as frozen, fresh, and canned fruits and vegetables without added sugars, fats, oils, or salt.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Total Calories From Fruits and Vegetables Per Basket	Day 1	"Fruits and vegetables" are defined as frozen, fresh, and canned fruits and vegetables without added sugars, fats, oils, or salt.
Real Dollars Spent on Eligible Fruits Only	Day 1	"Eligible Fruits" are defined as fruit items identified as discounted in the online store.
Real Dollars Spent on Eligible Fresh Fruits and Vegetables	Day 1	"Eligible Fresh Fruits and Vegetables" are defined as fresh, not frozen or canned, fruit and vegetables items identified as discounted in the online store.
Number of Participants Who Purchased Fruits and/or Vegetables	Day 1	Participants who purchased fruits and/or vegetables during their online shopping trip.
Number of Participants Who Kept Healthy Bundle Default Shopping Cart Items in Basket at Purchase	Day 1	"Healthy Bundle Default Shopping Cart Items" are defined as items placed automatically in participants' carts at the beginning of the shopping exercise. Assessed among participants in the Bundles (Arm 3) and Bundles + Discount (Arm 4) arms only.
Real Dollars Spent on Eligible Canned Fruits and Vegetables	Day 1	"Eligible Canned Fruits and Vegetables" are defined as canned fruit and vegetables items identified as discounted in the online store.
Real Dollars Spent on Eligible Vegetables Only	Day 1	"Eligible Vegetables" are defined as vegetable items identified as discounted in the online store.
Real Dollars Spent on Eligible Frozen Fruits and Vegetables	Day 1	"Eligible Frozen Fruits and Vegetables" are defined as frozen fruit and vegetables items identified as discounted in the online store.