A team of researchers from the Faculty of Medicine of Duke-Nus designed and tested a new set of digital tools that helps consumers to make decisions of healthier edible online, an innovation that could play an important role in the global fight against chronic diseases such as heart disease, stroke and diabetes.
In his study, published in the American Journal of Preventive MedicineThe researchers found that when simple but strategic digital features were added, such as nutritional quality signs coded by colors and a healthier alternative warning, they were added to an online shopping platform, the nutritional quality of the buyers’ cars improved significantly.
The team findings verified the effectiveness of the implementation of package front labels (FOP), which only marginally improve the quality of the diet when used alone, along with other interventions.
In a randomized essay carried out in Nusmart, an online groceries designed by the Duke-Nus team, the study participants were randomly divided into two groups and were asked to make a total of three orders for a period of three to six weeks. While those assigned to the control group used a standard version of the store, those assigned to the experimental group used a version of the store with additional digital features, which include:
Nutritional quality signaling with traffic lights: FOP labels that resemble the traffic light signals alerted buyers of the nutritional quality of food products using three color bands: green (better), amber and red with a “X” brand, for easy food identification to avoid.
The articles were classified in the color bands depending on their Nutri (NS) score[1] Points, which were assigned according to energy, sugar, sodium, saturated fats, fruits/vegetables, proteins and dietary fiber levels per 100 g/ml. The points became grades in a five -letter rating system, being the healthiest and the least healthy.
Classification of groceries by nutritional value: Using the NS points of food products, the researchers presented the articles in order of nutritional value, with the healthiest options that appear first. The elements in the Nusmart control version appeared in alphabetical order.
Showing comments on the cart in real time: Participants could track the nutritional quality of their supermarket cars through a circular graph that indicated the proportion of items in each color band. They could also compare their cars with a reference cart for the purchases of edible health, which the researchers had selected using previous data.
Suggesting healthier options: Buyers could also see up to four healthier alternatives with prices and characteristics similar to each selected food product and replace their chosen product with the healthiest alternative with clicking a button.
With these interventions, the nutritional quality of the groceries of the participants improved from NS grade C to NS grade B, which was more significant than the results of previous studies that involve independent FOP labels. The interventions also reduced the amount of calories (12.86 kcal), total fats (1.21 g), saturated fats (0.85 g), sugar (0.82 g) and sodium (156.64 mg) acquired.
In particular, the researchers discovered that buying with the four digital characteristics led to healthier food options in the three orders.
The assistant professor Soye Shin of the Duke-Nus systems systems and systems systems systems systems program, the first author of the study, said about the findings: “As online purchases of the purchase are gaining ground quickly, we wanted to see if we could design low-cost online tools that could be used to push consumers to healthier decisions at the point of purchase. These results show the potential of these tools to improve the diet and results health”. “
These findings underline the advantages of introducing diet quality tags, such as the Singapore Nutri’s Labeling Initiative, which currently only includes drinks but is planned to expand to other food categories.
The main author, Professor Eric Finkelstein, of the Duke-Nus health systems and health systems research program said: “These results are encouraging, but the next step is to work with retailers to incorporate these characteristics in existing online stores. Only then will the total value of this approach be carried out.”
Next, the researchers will expand the study to include consumers of low socioeconomic state and little nutritional knowledge. They will also investigate whether the multiple intervention strategy has the potential to positively affect the health of long -term consumers.
Professor Patrick Tan, senior vice president of research at Duke-Nus, commented on the impact of the study: “This study reflects how intelligent interventions based on evidence, when applied at the right time, can train people to make better daily decisions for their health. It also shows how research can lead to practical tools that improve not only individual choices, but also the results of the health of the population.”
Duke-Nus is at the forefront of biomedical research and translational innovations. This new study is part of the continuous efforts of the school to improve global health through systems research and scientific advances.