Speaker: Michele Belot, University of Edinburgh

Title: Changing eating habits: A field experiment in primary schools Co-authored with Jonathan James (University of Bath) and Patrick Nolen (University of Essex)

Abstract:
We conduct a field experiment in 31 primary schools in England to test whether incentives to eat fruit and vegetables help children develop healthier habits. The intervention consists of rewarding children with stickers and little gifts for a period of four weeks for choosing a portion of fruit and vegetables at lunch. We monitor choices and consumption over the course of the intervention as well as one week before, one week after and six months later. We find that the intervention had positive short run effects, but the effects vary substantially according to age and gender.

Organizers: Christian Bjørnskov and Alexander Koch