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Food Assistance and Nutrition Programs: Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs

Research Funding Opportunities

FANRP, in collaboration with USDA's Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), made a series of special awards in fiscal 2010 that form a foundation for USDA's initiative to develop a research program in behavioral economics as applied to USDA's child nutrition programs. The first of these awards established a Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs, which will provide focused leadership to the development of this program. FANRP also made awards for three projects that will test school-based applications of behavioral economic concepts intended to improve children's food choices. A final series of awards provided seed money for developmental grants in this emerging research area. The awards program was publicly announced and competitively awarded through the use of peer review panels.

Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs

The Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs was established in September 2010. Headed by David Just and Brian Wansink, the Center will be the cornerstone of USDA's Behavioral Economics-Child Nutrition Research Initiative and will be responsible for three major tasks:

  • Facilitating new and innovative research on the application of behavioral economic theory to child nutrition program operations and activities, leading to program improvements that will benefit children's diets and health.
  • Broadening the network of social scientists who participate in research that applies principles and theories of behavioral economics to improving nutrition, food security, and health outcomes associated with participation in USDA's child nutrition programs.
  • Disseminating information obtained through its research program to a diverse stakeholder audience, including other researchers, policy and program officials, and the general public. 

Evaluating Behavioral Economic Applications To Improve Children's Food Choices

Testing behavioral economic concepts in the child nutrition program setting is critical to assessing the feasibility of promising interventions. Three awards were made for studies that will test the effectiveness of selected behavioral economic applications in improving the food choices of children participating in USDA school meal programs.

Developmental Awards

A series of 11 developmental awards will plant the seeds for an expanded program of research that applies behavioral economic theories and methods to improving children's eating habits through USDA's child nutrition programs. Activities supported by these awards include fostering research relationships between researchers and State and local implementing agencies, testing concepts and methods in small-scale pilot projects, developing and testing data collection methodologies, and sponsoring workshops to improve understanding of the application of behavioral economics to child nutrition programs.

(Click on the title for the project's description)

Investigator

City/State

Title

Award
amount

Using Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs: Center Award

David Just
Cornell University

Ithaca, NY Cornell Center for Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs $1,000,000
Evaluating Behavioral Economic Applications to Improve Children's Food Choices

Karen Cullen
Baylor College of Medicine

Houston, TX Using Nudges From Cafeterias and Parents To Encourage Healthy Food Choices at School $175,000

Gregory Madden
Utah State University

Logan, UT Incentivizing Fruit and Vegetable Consumption in Elementary Schools $350,000

Joseph Price
Brigham Young University

Provo, UT Can Default Options and Incentives Improve Food Choices at School? $150,000
Using Behavioral Economics in Child Nutrition Programs: Developmental Awards

Cheryl Brown
West Virginia University

Morgantown, WV Nudging High School Students Toward Better School Lunch Food Choices: Planning for Behavioral Economic Interventions in West Virginia $30,000

Priscilla Connors
University of North Texas

Denton, TX Testing a Food Choice Innovation for Middle School Cafeterias $30,000

Ann Ferris
University of Connecticut

Farmington, CT Drawing Attention To Healthy Choices With Lighting $30,000

Deana Hildebrand
Oklahoma State University

Stillwater, OK Using Positive Deviance Principles To Identify Best Practices of Choice Architecture and Build Research Capacity With School Food Authorities $30,000

David Just
Cornell University

Ithaca, NY Smarter Choices Through Nutritional Report Cards $30,000

Mary Murimi
Louisiana Tech University

Ruston, LA Menu Modification for Lincoln Parish Child Nutrition Program $30,000

Marla Reicks
University of Minnesota

Minneapolis, MN Developing Research Capacity To Test Behavioral Economic Interventions in Child Nutrition Programs $30,000

Amit Sharma
Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA Improving School Lunch Decisions With Fast Lane Meal Deals $40,000

Melayne McInnes
University of South Carolina

Columbia, SC Children's Food Choices: Understanding Defaults $25,000

Sean Cash
University of Wisconsin

Madison, WI Influence of Developmental Differences on Children's Responses to Information on Foods $25,000

Helen Jensen
Iowa State University

Ames, IA Is Healthy Eating Viral? Improving Understanding of How Social Networks Can Be Used To Influence School Food Choices $25,000

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For more information, contact: Joanne Guthrie

Web administration: webadmin@ers.usda.gov

Updated date: October 12, 2010