NCT03248583

Decision-Making Processes While Online Grocery Shopping

Completed NA Last updated 13 May 2019

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Default option in Nutrition Poor in 60 participants. Completed in 29 September 2016.

Timeline

13 January 2016

Primary endpoint
29 September 2016

29 September 2016

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University at Albany
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	single
Primary purpose	prevention
Enrollment	60
Start date	13 January 2016
Primary completion	29 September 2016
Estimated completion	29 September 2016

Drugs / interventions tested

• Default option
• Psychoeducation
• Incentive

Conditions studied

• Nutrition Poor — all drugs for Nutrition Poor →

Sponsor

University at Albany

Who can join

18 and older, female only, with Nutrition Poor. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

Individuals living with food insecurity are disproportionately affected by overweight and obesity and associated chronic health problems. There remains a lack of sustainable and scalable interventions targeting widespread barriers to access to healthy foods in this population to increase the nutritional quality of foods purchased for preparation and consumption at home.

This randomized controlled proof-of-principle trial was designed to examine the feasibility and initial efficacy of a "default option" in enhancing the nutritional quality of groceries selected via the online shopping service of a local grocery store under conditions that mimic the financial constraints typical of individuals living with food insecurity.

In behavioral economics, the "default option" refers to the option a consumer selects if no active choice is made. The notion of the default option is based on the concept of "asymmetrical" or "libertarian paternalism," which seeks to subtly shift consumer behavior in a manner that promotes welfare, but without overtly interfering with the individual's freedom to choose.

It was hypothesized that the "default" option effectively increases the nutritional quality of foods purchased online, compared to monetary incentives and psychoeducation about nutrition.

Female undergraduate students (n = 60) selected food for one week using the online shopping service of a local grocery store with a budget corresponding to maximum weekly Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits. Before completing the task again, participants were randomized to: (1) a small monetary "incentive" for selecting groceries that meet nutritional guidelines (n = 17), (2) an "educational" brochure (n = 24), or (3) a "default" pre-filled online shopping cart containing a nutritionally balanced selection of groceries to which they could freely make changes (n = 18).

Primary outcome measures capture the nutritional quality of groceries selected/ purchased.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. A Default Option to Enhance Nutrition Within Financial Constraints: A Randomized, Controlled Proof-of-Principle Trial.
   Coffino JA, Hormes JM. · · 2018 · cited 12× · PMID 29604181 · DOI 10.1002/oby.22151