None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
Unhealthy diet plays a role in 11,000 deaths every year in New Zealand and healthier diets are important in preventing common diseases including heart disease, stroke, cancer, and diabetes. Most of our food is bought at supermarkets so choosing healthier foods at supermarkets is likely to have important health benefits. The Supermarket Healthy Options Project (SHOP) assessed two ways of promoting healthier food purchases in supermarkets: price discounts and tailored nutrition education. 1,104 PAK ’n SAVE customers were randomised to one of four groups: (1) price discounts on specified 'healthier' food products, (2) culturally appropriate tailored nutrition education based on usual supermarket food purchases, (3) both price discounts and tailored education, and (4) control (no intervention). Effects on shopping habits were measured using individulised barcode scanner data. This research provides important information about two promising ways to improve our population’s diet.
Interventions
1. Price Discounts on Healthy Food: participants allocated to the price discounts group received a list of 'healthier' foods that were eligible for a 12.5% discount. The list was sent by mail monthly during the six month intervention period. Discounts were electronically loaded onto participants Shop N Go cards so that when they purchased discounted foods at participating supermarkets, the discount was automatically applied at point of sale. 2. Culturally Appropriate Tailored Nutrition Education
1. Price Discounts on Healthy Food: participants allocated to the price discounts group received a list of 'healthier' foods that were eligible for a 12.5% discount. The list was sent by mail monthly during the six month intervention period. Discounts were electronically loaded onto participants Shop N Go cards so that when they purchased discounted foods at participating supermarkets, the discount was automatically applied at point of sale. 2. Culturally Appropriate Tailored Nutrition Education: promoted and supported the purchase of 'healthier' food options. Education was targeted by ethnicity and tailored by usual food purchases. Participants were sent seven nutrition education packages by mail over the six month intervention period (weeks 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24). Each package focused on a staple food category. 3. Price discounts plus tailored nutrition education.
Sponsors
Clinical Trials Research Unit, University of Auckland
Study design
Allocation
Randomised controlled trial
Intervention model
Factorial
Primary purpose
Prevention
Masking
Open (masking not used)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
(1) primary household food shopper, (2) shop regularly at one of the eight participating PAK ‘n SAVE stores in the Wellington region (where a regular shopper is defined as one that shops at least once every 2 weeks and spends a minimum of $150 per month), (3) registered users of Shop ‘n Go (self-scanning) system, or willing to sign up to the system for the period of the study, (4) able to give written informed consent to participate in the study.
Exclusion criteria
(1) another member of the household is already included in the study.
Outcome results
None listed