Food Wars: The Light Side of the [Marketing] Force

 

The project just launched yesterday and I am excited to see growing interest and support! It is important, now more than ever, for us to understand how to curb harmful eating behavior, especially in children. We know a great amount about the mechanisms that drive unhealthy dietary habits, but we know less about how to actually reverse these habits (behaviorally) and progress healthy lifestyles. A series of research projects that myself, Dr. Reimann and colleagues have recently conducted have given preliminary evidence that simple changes in presentation of food options can have a significant impact on caloric intake in both children and adults. This is great news! Understanding human psychology helps us to help others to help themselves. Exploiting the reward mechanism inherent in all humans leads to substitutions between unhealthy food and other items (toys, in the case of a child). The implications of this are immediately helpful for both individuals and institutions looking to make a positive change in the arena of overweight and obesity issues.

It has long been my dream to use Marketing to promote health and happiness in my community and communities everywhere. I am thrilled to say it seems that this dream is well on its way to becoming true with this engaging and interesting research project! Stay tuned as the light side of the [Marketing] force battles it's way to a healthier, happier community, one experiment at a time. Much to learn we still have, young padawan.