Knowledge Exchange July
Tools/Resources: Nudge-it

Nudge-it is a European funded project engaging international leading experts with the overall aim to better understand decision-making in food choices. The organisation also develops scientific approaches to contribute to providing evidence based solutions and improving public health policy. Visit www.nudge-it.eu to find out more about current publications and resources.

Nudge-it Symposium: Healthy food choice

In April 2016, Nudge-it held a symposium about healthy food choice, with expert presenters confirming nudging strategies are successful in promoting healthy eating behaviour, including:

• Encouraging the use of nudges in addition to new and existing policies;
• Nudges are effective to act on self-control, reducing impulsive eating, which is usually linked with unhealthy food intake;
• Studies showing that people tend not to be aware of the effect of the food environment, especially the abundance of cheap unhealthy food on their food choices. Nudging campaigns focus on strategic changes in the environment that increase healthy choices and habits.

The well-attended symposium reported that we are heading in the right direction, but that more time and effort is needed to make the healthier food and lifestyle choices the default choice. This will require continued action from all SSAs and RSAs and further development of the scientific knowledge to help inform policy.