Effectiveness of subsidies in promoting healthy food purchases and consumption: a review of field experiments
- PMID: 23122423
- PMCID: PMC3898771
- DOI: 10.1017/S1368980012004715
Effectiveness of subsidies in promoting healthy food purchases and consumption: a review of field experiments
Abstract
Objective: To systematically review evidence from field interventions on the effectiveness of monetary subsidies in promoting healthier food purchases and consumption.
Design: Keyword and reference searches were conducted in five electronic databases: Cochrane Library, EconLit, MEDLINE, PsycINFO and Web of Science. Studies were included based on the following criteria: (i) intervention: field experiments; (ii) population: adolescents 12–17 years old or adults 18 years and older; (iii) design: randomized controlled trials, cohort studies or pre–post studies; (iv) subsidy: price discounts or vouchers for healthier foods; (v) outcome: food purchases or consumption; (vi) period: 1990–2012; and (vii) language: English. Twenty-four articles on twenty distinct experiments were included with study quality assessed using predefined methodological criteria.
Setting: Interventions were conducted in seven countries: the USA (n 14), Canada (n 1), France (n 1), Germany (n 1), Netherlands (n 1), South Africa (n 1) and the UK (n 1). Subsidies applied to different types of foods such as fruits, vegetables and low-fat snacks sold in supermarkets, cafeterias, vending machines, farmers’ markets or restaurants.
Subjects: Interventions enrolled various population subgroups such as school/ university students, metropolitan transit workers and low-income women.
Results: All but one study found subsidies on healthier foods to significantly increase the purchase and consumption of promoted products. Study limitations include small and convenience samples, short intervention and follow-up duration, and lack of cost-effectiveness and overall diet assessment.
Conclusions: Subsidizing healthier foods tends to be effective in modifying dietary behaviour. Future studies should examine its long-term effectiveness and cost-effectiveness at the population level and its impact on overall diet intake.
Figures
Similar articles
-
Folic acid supplementation and malaria susceptibility and severity among people taking antifolate antimalarial drugs in endemic areas.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022 Feb 1;2(2022):CD014217. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD014217. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2022. PMID: 36321557 Free PMC article.
-
Environmental interventions to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and their effects on health.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019 Jun 12;6(6):CD012292. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012292.pub2. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019. PMID: 31194900 Free PMC article.
-
Nutritional labelling for healthier food or non-alcoholic drink purchasing and consumption.Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018 Feb 27;2(2):CD009315. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD009315.pub2. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2018. PMID: 29482264 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Pricing Strategies to Encourage Availability, Purchase, and Consumption of Healthy Foods and Beverages: A Systematic Review.Prev Chronic Dis. 2017 Nov 2;14:E107. doi: 10.5888/pcd14.170213. Prev Chronic Dis. 2017. PMID: 29101767 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Influence of price discounts and skill-building strategies on purchase and consumption of healthy food and beverages: outcomes of the Supermarket Healthy Eating for Life randomized controlled trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2015 May;101(5):1055-64. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.114.096735. Epub 2015 Apr 15. Am J Clin Nutr. 2015. PMID: 25877492 Clinical Trial.
Cited by
-
Social deprivation and diabetic kidney disease: A European view.J Diabetes Investig. 2024 May;15(5):541-556. doi: 10.1111/jdi.14156. Epub 2024 Jan 27. J Diabetes Investig. 2024. PMID: 38279774 Free PMC article. Review.
-
Awareness and Availability of Low Sodium Iodized Salt: Results from Formative Research of Promoting Uptake of Low SodiUm Iodized Salt by Rural and Urban HousehoLds in India-The PLURAL Study.Nutrients. 2023 Dec 30;16(1):130. doi: 10.3390/nu16010130. Nutrients. 2023. PMID: 38201960 Free PMC article.
-
Assessing food availability and healthier options in an urban Chinese university: a case study using the Chinese Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey for Stores (C-NEMS-S).BMC Public Health. 2024 Jan 2;24(1):15. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-17415-8. BMC Public Health. 2024. PMID: 38167012 Free PMC article.
-
Which Program Implementation Factors Lead to more Fruit and Vegetable Purchases? An Exploratory Analysis of Nutrition Incentive Programs across the United States.Curr Dev Nutr. 2023 Nov 22;7(12):102040. doi: 10.1016/j.cdnut.2023.102040. eCollection 2023 Dec. Curr Dev Nutr. 2023. PMID: 38130331 Free PMC article.
-
Types of fish consumption differ across socioeconomic strata and impact differently on plasma fish-based omega-3 fatty acids: a cross-sectional study.Eur J Nutr. 2024 Mar;63(2):435-443. doi: 10.1007/s00394-023-03274-x. Epub 2023 Nov 20. Eur J Nutr. 2024. PMID: 37985508 Free PMC article.
References
-
- US Department of Agriculture & US Department of Health and Human Services (2010) Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2010, 7th ed. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office; available at http://www.health.gov/dietaryguidelines/dga2010/dietaryguidelines2010.pdf
-
- National Prevention Council (2011) National Prevention Strategy. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Surgeon General; available at http://www.healthcare.gov/prevention/nphpphc/strategy/report.pdf
-
- Darmon N & Drewnowski A (2008) Does social class predict diet quality? Am J Clin Nutr 87, 1107–1117. - PubMed
-
- Monsivais P & Drewnowski A (2007) The rising cost of low-energy-density foods. J Am Diet Assoc 107, 2071–2076. - PubMed
-
- Drewnowski A & Specter SE (2004) Poverty and obesity: the role of energy density and energy costs. Am J Clin Nutr 79, 6–16. - PubMed
Publication types
MeSH terms
Grants and funding
LinkOut - more resources
Full Text Sources