Healthy by Design: Utilizing Choice Architecture to Improve Food Environments

Abstract

To codify evidence-based design strategies and best practices for designing food environments that make the healthiest choice the easiest choice.Choice architecture refers to the practice of influencing choice by “organizing the context in which people make decisions.” Designers and architects are well-versed in choice architecture as it pertains to active design guidelines, such as the placement and promotion of stairs to encourage movement. However, there is little guidance on how to incorporate choice architecture interventions to nudge food choices and promote the health and well-being of the individuals who work, learn and live in these spaces. The WELL Building Standard version 2™ (WELL v2™) pilot is a global building certification program that addresses the intersection of health and the built environment across ten concepts. The WELL Nourishment concept codifies several evidence-based choice architecture interventions in an effort to empower architects and designers to construct dining spaces and eating environments conducive to health. WELL requires that fruits and vegetables are positioned in high-visibility locations to optimize their visibility and selection, recommends optimal dishware sizes to help guide appropriate portion sizes and reduce food waste, and promotes healthy food choices through intentional menu design.There are over 4000 projects currently applying the design, policy and operational strategies of WELL, encompassing over 500 million square feet across 58 countries. Each project is committed to optimizing the food environment through various choice architecture strategies designed to make the healthiest choice the easiest choice. Post-occupancy survey data from certified projects will help elucidate the impact of the design of our built spaces on human health and inform the continuous evolution of the standard.Building standards and rating systems are guiding the future of our built world and how we interact with the spaces in which we spend the majority of our time. We must continue to educate and empower designers and architects to create healthy eating environments.None.