Dataset Information

Preliminary evaluation of the Healthy Savings Program: a novel health insurance-based wellness programme to encourage healthy food purchases.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

To examine level of participation and satisfaction with the Healthy Savings Program (HSP), a programme that provides price discounts on healthier foods.

Design

For Study 1, a survey was distributed to a random sample of adults who were invited to participate in a version of the HSP that provided a discount for the purchase of fresh produce and discounts on other healthier foods. In Study 2, interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of adults invited to participate in a version of the HSP that provided price discounts on specific products only (no fresh produce discount).

Setting

The HSP is provided to all employer-based insurance plan members of a large health plan. Employers can choose to enhance the version of the HSP that their employees receive by paying for a weekly discount on fresh produce.

Subjects

Employees in employer groups that received the enhanced HSP (Study 1) and employees in an employer group (Study 2) that received the standard HSP.

Results

Among survey respondents in Study 1, 69·3 % reported using the HSP card. Most were satisfied with the fresh produce discount and ease of use of the HSP card. Satisfaction was lower for selection of participating stores, amounts of discounts and selection of discounted products. In Study 2, barriers to the use of the HSP card cited included the limited number of participating stores and the limited selection of discounted products.

Conclusions

Satisfaction with some elements of the HSP was high while other elements may need improvement to increase programme use.

SUBMITTER: Tang X

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6136952 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Publications

Preliminary evaluation of the Healthy Savings Program: a novel health insurance-based wellness programme to encourage healthy food purchases.

Tang Xuyang X Honors Mary Ann MA Fertig Angela R AR French Simone A SA Abraham Jean J Harnack Lisa L

Public health nutrition 20180706 15

<h4>Objective</h4>To examine level of participation and satisfaction with the Healthy Savings Program (HSP), a programme that provides price discounts on healthier foods.<h4>Design</h4>For Study 1, a survey was distributed to a random sample of adults who were invited to participate in a version of the HSP that provided a discount for the purchase of fresh produce and discounts on other healthier foods. In Study 2, interviews were conducted with a convenience sample of adults invited to particip ...[more]

PMID: 29976263

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Project description:BackgroundCommunicating (dynamic) social norms is considered a promising tool to stimulate healthy and sustainable food choices. The aim of the present study was to evaluate to what extent a (dynamic) social norm intervention in real-world supermarkets could increase sales (grams per week) of meat alternatives (i.e. meat substitutes and legumes).MethodsA quasi-experimental study, including three intervention and three control supermarkets, was conducted during a 12-week period. The intervention supermarkets communicated dynamic norms textually on stickers and banners at different in-store locations (e.g. at the entrance, meat aisles). Moreover, the prominence of meat substitutes was (optically) increased and legumes were conveniently placed near the meat and meat substitutes section. Weekly sales data over a period of 75 weeks were obtained, 62 pre-intervention and 13 during intervention. Comparative interrupted time series analyses were conducted to analyse changes in meat alternative sales (in grams) during the intervention period in the intervention supermarkets compared to pre-intervention sales trends and to control supermarkets. Secondary outcomes included meat sales in grams per week and the ratio of protein content of meat alternatives to protein content of meat sales.ResultsAverage meat alternative sales in weekly grams before the intervention were M = 371,931.2 (SD = 113,055.3) in the control supermarkets and M = 299,012.5 (SD = 91,722.8) in the intervention supermarkets. The intervention did not change meat alternative sales in intervention supermarkets compared to pre-implementation sales trends and to control supermarkets (B = - 685.92, 95% CI [- 9904.8; 8525.7]). Sales of meats were also unaffected (B = - 130.91, 95% CI [- 27,127.50; 26,858.33]), as well as the ratio of protein content of meat alternatives to protein content of meat in grams sold per week (B = - 670.54, 95% CI [- 8990.6; 7644.4]).ConclusionsCommunicating (dynamic) social norms via textual and environmental cues (i.e. increasing the prominence of meat alternatives in supermarkets) did not increase meat alternative sales nor reduce meat sales. With supermarkets playing an important role in modulating sustainable food choices, more substantial effort or changes are needed to increase plant-based food purchases and lower meat purchases.

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Dataset Information

Preliminary evaluation of the Healthy Savings Program: a novel health insurance-based wellness programme to encourage healthy food purchases.

Objective

Design

Setting

Subjects

Results

Conclusions

Publications

Preliminary evaluation of the Healthy Savings Program: a novel health insurance-based wellness programme to encourage healthy food purchases.

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