Health-conscious employees could benefit from nutrition labeling at lunch

July 19th, 2012

New research conducted in 25 workplaces within The Netherlands concludes that the Choices logo does not have a notable effect on the sale of healthier lunch foods, but may help employees to opt for a healthier selection. A team of researchers led by Ellis Vyth looked at the effectiveness of the Choices logo in promoting healthier eating in workplace cafeterias, and the results were published in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association last week.

Over a nine week period spanning from March to May 2009, sales data from thirteen cafeterias using the Choices logo was compared daily with 12 control cafeterias offering the same non-logo menu. In addition, 368 employees completed an online questionnaire, both at the beginning of research and following the period during which the logo was used. The results did not demonstrate a nutritionally meaningful effect on the sale of sandwiches, soups, snacks, fruit and salads. Nevertheless, the questionnaire data showed that health conscious employees might find the healthy choices labeling useful.

Therefore, nutrition logos should be viewed as useful tools for caterers in helping health conscious employees to select healthy options in cafeterias during lunch. Further research should focus on the possible health benefits of menu reformulation in the catering sector, as it may prove to be an effective way of reaching all types of employees.