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A Field Experiment on the Impact of Incentives on Milk Choice in the Lunchroom

Author

Listed:
  • John A. List
  • Anya Samek
Abstract
Almost a third of US children ages two to nineteen are deemed overweight or obese, and part of the problem is the habitual decision to consume high-calorie, low-nutrient foods. We propose that the school lunchroom provides a “teachable moment†to engage children in making healthful choices. We conduct a field experiment with over 1,500 participants in grades K to 8 from low-income households in the Chicago Heights, Illinois, School District and then evaluate the impact of small nonmonetary incentives on the selection of milk in the school lunchroom. At baseline, only 16 percent of children select white milk relative to 84 percent choosing chocolate milk. We find a significant effect of incentives, which increase white milk selection by 2.5 times, to 40 percent. One concern with incentives is that they may decrease intrinsic motivation to eat healthy, called “crowd-out of intrinsic motivation.†However, we do not find evidence of “crowd-out†; rather, we see some suggestive evidence of the positive habit forming effect of incentives.

Suggested Citation

  • John A. List & Anya Samek, 2017. "A Field Experiment on the Impact of Incentives on Milk Choice in the Lunchroom," Public Finance Review, , vol. 45(1), pages 44-67, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:pubfin:v:45:y:2017:i:1:p:44-67
    DOI: 10.1177/1091142115602061
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Hanks, Andrew S. & Just, David R. & Wansink, Brian, 2012. "Trigger Foods: The Influence of “Irrelevant” Alternatives in School Lunchrooms," Agricultural and Resource Economics Review, Northeastern Agricultural and Resource Economics Association, vol. 41(1), pages 1-10, April.
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Manuela Angelucci & Silvia Prina & Heather Royer & Anya Samek, 2015. "When Incentives Backfire: Spillover Effects in Food Choice," NBER Working Papers 21481, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. John A. List & Anya Samek & Terri Zhu, 2022. "Incentives to Eat Healthily: Evidence from a Grocery Store Field Experiment," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 89(354), pages 489-509, April.
    3. Just, David R. & Jiao, Jie, 2024. "Using Multiple Methods to Improve Validity," 2024 Annual Meeting, July 28-30, New Orleans, LA 345097, Agricultural and Applied Economics Association.
    4. Gwozdz, W. & Reisch, L. & Eiben, G. & Hunsberger, M. & Konstabel, K. & Kovacs, E. & Luszczki, E. & Mazur, A. & Mendl, E. & Saamel, M. & Wolters, M., 2020. "The effect of smileys as motivational incentives on children’s fruit and vegetable choice, consumption and waste: A field experiment in schools in five European countries," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C).
    5. Matthias Staudigel & Christoph Lingl & Jutta Roosen, 2019. "Preferences versus the Environment: How Do School Fruit and Vegetable Programs Affect Children's Fresh Produce Consumption?," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 41(4), pages 742-763, December.
    6. Chien‐Yu Lai & John A List & Anya Samek, 2020. "Got Milk? Using Nudges to Reduce Consumption of Added Sugar," American Journal of Agricultural Economics, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 102(1), pages 154-168, January.
    7. Samek, Anya, 2019. "Gifts and goals: Behavioral nudges to improve child food choice at school," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-12.
    8. Kurz, Verena, 2018. "Nudging to reduce meat consumption: Immediate and persistent effects of an intervention at a university restaurant," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 90(C), pages 317-341.
    9. Kurz, Verena, 2017. "Nudging to reduce meat consumption: Immediate and persistent effects of an intervention at a university restaurant," Working Papers in Economics 712, University of Gothenburg, Department of Economics.

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