The Effect of Images of Michelle Obama’s Face on Trick-or-Treaters’ Dietary Choices: A Randomized Control Trial

This paper evaluated the microfoundations of a personality-inspired public health campaign’s influence on minors through a multi-year randomized control trial. The authors estimated that viewing a photograph of Michelle Obama’s face relative to control conditions caused children to be 19% more likely to choose fruit over candy. They concluded that Michelle Obama’s initiative to reduce childhood obesity has influenced children’s dietary preferences. The authors mentioned that whether this influence extends beyond Halloween trick-or-treating in New Haven, CT on the porch of an economics professor requires further research.