The virtual cafeteria: Nudging towards healthier food choices in a university cafeteria

We collected data using an online questionnaire assessing the food choice of university students (n =686) and university employees (n = 218) within an online cafeteria setting. Food choice regarded the frequencies of choosing salad, fruit salad and chocolate pudding. We assigned caloric values to the dishes and calculated the total amount of calories ordered by the participants. In addition, we randomly assigned the participants to one of 4 conditions. The three experimental conditions exposed the participants to a nudge (thin body shape nudge, thick body shape nudge or Giacometti nudge). The fourth condition was a control condition, which was not exposed to a nudge health intervention. We also assessed further influences (reactance, self-control, food choice motives, perception of the nudge's presence, etc.).