Study: Does Paying Kids to Eat Healthy Pay Off?

A pilot program that tracks the food choices made by middle and high school students in Warren County (KY) Schools and gives discounts for making healthful choices as well as a monthly cash prize inceptive, was recently launched by the Healthy Weight Kids Coalition and Western Kentucky University’s Institute of Medicine, reports the Bowling Green (KY) Daily News. The goal is to study whether the inceptives can affect overall diet choices among youngsters.

The program, which is being funded by a $30,000 grant from the Kellogg Foundation, is passing out 9,000 Smart Bites cards to local students as part of a national pilot program to encourage kids to make healthful food and beverage choices. WKU had conducted a study of local students to see how often and where they ate out the most, and then researched the best way to influence their eating habits outside the home.

WKU nutritionists compiled a guidebook listing the healthiest options at more than 40 local foodservice establishments. When students choose one of these selections, they earn points through a swipe of their Smart Bites cards and are entered into the monthly lottery for a cash prize. There are also discounts for selected healthier choices like diet sodas and salads.