Tools- of Changes

Price Discounts on Healthful Foods Can Lead to Increased Consumption

A 30% discount in price led to significantly increased consumption of both vegetables and diet soda. A 15% discount group showed a non-significant increase in consumption of diet soda and no change for vegetables. Diet soda intake was inversely correlated with regular soda intake for those who received the 30% discount on diet soda. There was no effect from discounts on fruit intake, and no significant differences in the clinical measures, including body weight, relative to the discounts.

To observe the effects of a multi-level (30%, 15% and 0%) randomized discount on fruits, vegetables and non-caloric beverages on changes in dietary intake, a team of researchers from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai conducted a randomized, controlled trial that involved the recruitment of primary household shoppers from several New York City supermarkets. The trial comprised an 8-week baseline, a 32-week intervention, and a 16-week follow-up; 24-hour dietary recalls were conducted during the baseline period and before the intervention midpoint. In-person clinical measures (including body weight, percent body fat, blood pressure, fasting serum glucose, hemoglobin A1C, and serum blood lipids) were analyzed from week 8 (end of baseline) and 24 (midpoint). This report is from an interim analysis up to the intervention midpoint at Week 24, as the study was ongoing.