3/22/2016
Snack on This!
Trends, Research and Tips
to Optimize Nutrition between Meals
Objectives
1. Describe current snacking trends and contributions of snacks to
calorie and nutrient intakes throughout the day.
CDA
2. Motivate clients to use snacking as an opportunity to fill nutrient
gaps, optimize health and achieve their nutrition goals.
April 23, 2016
3. Apply the behavior economics model to the environment to help
improve the healthfulness of snacks.
Snacking: The Why, What and When
Before we start…
What
percentage of calories does snacking contribute to the
diet of the “average American”?
10%
20%
25%
Lori Hoolihan, Ph.D., R.D.N.
Manager, Nutrition Research
Dairy Council of California
35%
The
more people snack, the more calories they consume.
True
False
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What is the difference between a snack and a meal?
What is the difference between a snack and a meal?
The Hartman Group 2016
http://www.preparedfoods.com/ext/resources/2016/02_16/Snacking_VS_Meals.pdf
What do the statistics show?

91 percent of adults surveyed snack daily

25 percent snack 3 – 5 times a day

3 percent are “always snacking”
How often are people snacking?
Nielsen survey 2014
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Polling Question #1

What is the primary reason YOU snack?
Opportunity
Coping
Enjoying
a special occasion (party, celebration)
Rewarding
Social
(e.g. cookies at the office)
with negative emotions (tired, depressed)
oneself (end of a hard day, had a good workout)
pressure
Gaining
energy/ hunger
Snacking Patterns of U.S. Adults What We Eat in America, NHANES 2007-2008
Why are people snacking?
Opportunity-induced
eating
Enjoying a special occasion
Coping with negative emotions
Rewarding oneself
Social pressure
Gaining energy
Verhoeven AA et al. Appetite 2015 84:20-7.
Why are women snacking?
Opportunity-induced
eating
a special occasion
Coping with negative emotions
Rewarding oneself
Social pressure
Gaining energy
Enjoying
Verhoeven AA et al. Appetite 2015 84:20-7.
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Why are Millennials (21-38 yrs) snacking so much?
27%
- they’re bored
17% - they’re stressed
39% - to maintain their energy levels
What are people snacking on?
Europeans
Middle
– fresh fruit is their #1 snack
East and Africa – fresh fruit
Latin America
Asia-Pacific
U.S.
Motivations and Attitudes
2015 - Mintel
– yogurt
– chocolate
– potato
chips!!
http://www.marketwatch.com/story/americans-are-the-unhealthiestsnackers-in-the-world-2014-10-09
There are gender differences in what people
snack on
Women
prefer chocolate, candy, or
cookies.
Men
prefer salty treats, such as
pretzels and chips.
Source: Nielsen 2014
Source: Nielson 2014
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So… What’s the Problem?
35%
of U.S. adults are obese
69%
are overweight
21%
of adolescents are obese
18%
of children age 6-11 years are obese
JAMA 2014: Prevalence of Childhood and Adult Obesity in the US, 2011-2012
http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/obesity-overweight.htm
We are OVERFED yet UNDERNOURISHED
87%
consume < 2½ cups of VEGETABLES per day
86%
consume < 3 cups of DAIRY per day
75%
consume < 2 cups of FRUITS per day
Most
people are consuming enough grain, but not enough WHOLE
GRAINS.
More
than half of the population is meeting or exceeding the
recommended PROTEIN intake, but not enough seafood and nuts.
What We Eat in America:
http://www.ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=13793
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How do Snacks contribute?
Snacks
People get proportionally more carb, sugar and alcohol from
snacks than from the rest of their diets
provide on average:
one-fourth
greater
lesser
of daily calories
proportions of alcohol, carbohydrates and total sugars
proportions of most other nutrients
Snacking
more frequently throughout the day is associated with
consuming more calories.
The
foods and beverages contributing the most calories at snacks
are not the most nutritious options
Snacking patterns of U.S. adults:
http://ars.usda.gov/Services/docs.htm?docid=19476
Results are similar for adolescents
83%
of teens consume at least 1 snack a day.
Snacks
provide 23% of daily calories, 31% of total sugars, and
lesser proportions of most vitamins and minerals.
More
frequent snacking  higher calorie intakes.
Popular
snack foods are high in added sugars, solid fats or both.
Snacking Patterns of U.S. Adolescents What We Eat In America,
NHANES 2005-2006
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The Quality of Snacks Matters!
201
children given one of 4 snacks:
 Cheese
only
only
 Cheese & vegetables
 Potato chips only
 Vegetables
Snacks provide an OPPORTUNITY to
meet nutrient needs throughout the day.
Watched
cartoons and snacked freely on
food provided for 45 min
Cheese
& vegetables group ate 72% fewer
calories & reached satiety at a lower intake
level.
Effects
were more pronounced in
overweight & obese children.
Wansink, B. Journal of Pediatrics. 131(1), 22-29, 2013
Polling Question #2

What is the primary reason your clients snack?
Opportunity
Coping
with negative emotions
Enjoying
a special occasion
Rewarding
Social
oneself
pressure
Gaining
energy/ hunger
What can we do differently?
Change
our approach to snacking—use snacking as a way
to reach unmet nutrient needs
Focus
on under consumed food groups and fill in gaps
Consider
Employ
Plan
snacks as mini-meals
behavioral economics to snacking as we do to meals
ahead to have healthy, convenient, tasty snacks
Make
the healthy choice the easy choice
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Summary

There are various reasons people snack

Snacking is here to stay, across ages, genders and ethnicities

Snacking CAN and SHOULD fill dietary gaps
Turn and Talk
How
have you or might you modify your nutrition or food
service practice based on snacking trends?
We need to strive toward HEALTHIER snacking with SIMILAR
SATISFACTION

Applying Behavioral Economics to Impact
Snacking Patterns
Presentation Roadmap
Behavioral
What
How
it applies to snacking
Snacking
Maureen Bligh, M.S., R.D.N.
Project Manager, Adult Learning & Education
Dairy Council of California
Economics
is it
habits
Resources
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Behavioral Economics Principle #1:
Reactance vs Attribution
Behavioral Economics
Studies
the effects of
psychological, social, cognitive,
and emotional factors on the
economic decisions of individuals
and institutions and the
consequences for market prices,
returns, and the resource allocation.
intersection of Economics
and Psychology
Reactance
Reactance
is a motivational reaction to
persons, rules, or regulations that threaten
or eliminate specific behavioral freedoms.
Reactance occurs when a person feels
that someone or something is taking
away his or her choices or limiting the
range of alternatives.
The
Attribution
It
was my choice, I will repeat it in the
future
Choosing between celery and carrots
Remember a time you were forced to do
something you didn’t want to do.
Snacking Scenario #1
How can I
get over to
my friend’s
house to get
a decent
snack?
Mom: “No sweet
snacks are allowed.
You can eat these
carrot sticks or you
have to wait for
dinner.”
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3/22/2016
Scenario #2
“Let’s see
which of us
can put the
most stuff on
our pizza!”
Mom:
“I’ve laid out some
ingredients for you to
make a pizza snack.
Use whatever
ingredients you want.
I bet it will be
delicious!”
Behavioral Economics Principle #2:
Choice Architecture
Choice
architecture designs
different ways in which choices
can be presented to consumers
in a way that impacts consumer
decision-making.
 Designing
environment, kitchen,
work space, office or school
cafeteria in a way to lead an
individual to a particular outcome
without forcing them

Source: Center for Behavioral Economics in Child
Nutrition Programs
Manage
Portion
Sizes
Choice Architecture
The following principles are based on research concerning various environmental cues that influence eating behavior.
Increase
Convenience
Visibility
Visibility
Enhance
Taste Expectations
Use smaller containers, plates +
serving utensils
Large portions =
eating more
Manage
Portion
Sizes
Increase
Convenience
Pay attention to the number
of servings per container!
Enhance
Taste
Expectations
Small portions =
eating less
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Manage
Portion
Sizes
Increase
Convenience
Visibility
Kitchen Environment matters:
What is seen is eaten
Enhance
Taste
Expectations
Cornell
University lab found that you can roughly predict body
weight by what is left out on the counters in a home:
Make healthy snacks
more convenient.
Put the “food group” snacks on the main shelf
Have pre‐portioned, nutritious snacks in a clear container Have at least two fruit types in the fruit bowl; refill often
In
Food on Counter
Correlation with body weight
of family members
Cereal
+ 21 pounds
Regular Soda
+ 29 pounds
Diet Soda
+ 24 pounds
Crackers/Chips
+ 8 pounds
Any fruit
- 7 pounds
homes with cluttered kitchens, consumers eat 44% more snacks.
Source: Wansink, Slim By Design, 2013
Example from School lunch:
Make the Healthy Choice the Default Choice
Simplicity Changes Behavior
BJ Fogg, Ph.D., Stanford University
Before
After
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Manage
Portion
Sizes
Increase
Convenience
Visibility
Enhance
Taste
Expectations
Out of sight, out of mind.
Simply seeing a brownie or other high‐calorie food can lead to unplanned consumption – we crave it and eat it before we think twice. Put indulgent treats at the very top or bottom shelves or other remote spot. Turn + Talk
Manage
Portion
Sizes
Increase
Convenience
Visibility
Enhance
Taste
Expectations
If it looks delicious and sounds
delicious... it must be delicious!
Food
tastes how we
expect it to taste
Name, appearance,
and reputation create
our expectations.
Snacking Habits
Thinking
about the clients that you see, how might you use this
information?
OR
Thinking
about the snacking you (or your family) do, how might
you apply this information?
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What We Know
About Food Decisions
We
have two decision-making
modes:
Deliberative
Emotional
– Rational
– Unplanned attempts to
pacify self
Available
cognitive resources
dictates decision-making mode:
Stress
or distraction leads us to eat
more and eat worse
It takes effort and resources to resist
temptation
Emotional v Deliberative
Snacking Scenario:
Emotional State
We
eat for
 Taste
 Convenience
 Visual effect
 “I deserve this
We
Deliberative State

We consider




chocolate”
buy
 Bigger
 More hedonistic
You are working
on a long,
somewhat tedious
project at work
and suddenly you
have an urge to
eat a candy bar.
Prices
Health information
Logic
We buy


Smaller portions
Moderate foods
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“But I deserve this chocolate!”
Cognitive approach to snacking
Can
you change your
thoughts?
"I feel like eating a candy bar since I like them and they
give me a burst of energy in the afternoon when I'm
feeling restless and bored. But if I'm honest with myself,
I’m really not hungry. I just want a break and to
experience something I enjoy. What else could I do that
will help me get through the afternoon?"
The
more you try to avoid
thoughts about food, the more
those thoughts escalate.
Mindful
thinking is understanding
your usual thinking style
(obsessing, avoiding, etc.) +
acknowledging your thoughts =
avoid mindless eating
Online tool to promote nutritious
snacking: HealthyEating.org/Snacks
Turn + Talk
Which types of clients are suited to these types of snacking
interventions?
Manage
the environment
Change
cognitive strategies
Plan
snacks in advance
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Consumer Resources
HealthyEating.org/Snacks
Health Professional Resources
Food
+ Nutrition: What Science Says About Snacking
 http://www.foodandnutrition.org/July-August-2015/What-Science-Says-about-Snacking/
HealthyEating.org
Snacking Tips Sheets in English and Spanish
http://www.healthyeating.org/Health-Wellness-Providers/Tip-Sheets/10-
Healthy-Snacking-Tips.aspx
Eatright.org
Healthy Snack and Meal Ideas
How
Snacking Differs From Meals (Hartman group)
 http://www.preparedfoods.com/ext/resources/2016/02_16/Snacking_VS_Meals.pdf
California Almond
Board Snacking Toolkit
 http://www.almonds.com/health-professionals/client-handouts#tc-snacking-tips
http://www.eatright.org/resources/food/planning-and-prep/snack-and-
meal-ideas
HealthyEating.org/SmartSnacking
HealthyEating.org/SnackingWebinar
What is your main take away idea?
Which
of these suggestions do you think would help your
clients the most to improve the quality of their snacks?
Shop
Thank you!
Lori
Hoolihan, PhD, RDN
[email protected]
more frequently to keep perishable items available
Plan
ahead – put out pre-portioned, healthy snacks before sitting down
to watch TV
Maureen
Bligh, MA, RDN
[email protected]
Keep
sliced fruit, sliced veggies and cheese sticks on a main shelf on
the refrigerator
Plan
snacks as mini-meals including at least two food groups
Counsel
clients on mindful thinking strategies
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