The allure of natural landscapes often evokes feelings of positivity and a heightened sense of wellbeing among individuals. However, a recent study conducted by INSEAD has shed new light on these verdant vistas, revealing that they can also influence people to make healthier dietary choices. This groundbreaking research provides a fresh perspective on the relationship between nature and our food choices, enriching our understanding of human behaviour.
Published in Communications Psychology, a journal under the Nature umbrella, the research suggests that exposure to natural settings, such as strolling through a park rather than city streets or gazing upon greenery versus an urban panorama, prompts individuals to opt for healthier food options after that.
Pierre Chandon, a co-author of the study and the L’Oréal Chaired professor of marketing at INSEAD, highlights, “Our studies suggest that it was not the urban view that led to unhealthy food choices but rather that nature influenced people to eat healthier.”
Participants were randomly assigned to take a 20-minute walk through a park or bustling Parisian streets in one study segment. Subsequently, all participants were presented with a buffet featuring healthy and less healthy snacks. Despite similar consumption quantities across both groups, those who strolled in the park exhibited a notable preference for more nutritious choices, with 70% of their selections falling into the healthier category, compared to only 39% for the city walkers.
In a more controlled experiment, participants were placed in simulated “hotel rooms” with varying window views: a lush green pasture, a cityscape, or a neutral condition with closed curtains. They were then tasked with selecting a lunch from an in-room service menu offering healthy and unhealthy options. The outcomes mirrored those of the earlier experiment, with individuals afforded a view of nature opting predominantly for more nutritious fare. In contrast, those with urban or obscured views leaned towards less healthy choices.
The genesis of this research stemmed from co-author Maria Langlois’ observation during a 7200-km charity bike ride, where she noticed a bias towards healthier, unprocessed foods among herself and her teammates while traversing natural environments. Langlois, now an assistant professor of marketing at SMU’s Cox School of Business, translated this observation into a series of rigorous field and online studies during her tenure in INSEAD’s PhD program.
Interestingly, the study suggests that not all natural surroundings yield the same effect. Factors such as the environment’s vividness and abundance of greenery could influence outcomes. For example, when natural or urban views are blanketed in snow, they cease to sway food choices.
Further experiments sought to ascertain whether exposure to nature increased preferences for genuinely healthy, natural foods or merely processed foods masquerading as healthy. Participants were presented with three snack options: diet and light, healthy and natural, or indulgent and tasty. Exposure to natural scenery diminished the appeal of diet snacks while significantly shifting preferences from indulgent choices towards more nutritious, natural alternatives.
These transformative findings hold immense potential for promoting healthier dietary habits. Educational institutions, workplaces, and other organisations could harness the power of nature imagery in cafeterias to inspire students and employees to choose healthier options. Similarly, food marketers could integrate natural visual cues to advocate for healthy or natural products, thereby revolutionising how we perceive and choose our food.
Most importantly, this research underscores the pivotal role of urban planning, health professionals, and food marketers. With projections indicating that by 2050, two-thirds of the global population will reside in urban areas, the integration of green spaces into future urban landscapes assumes heightened importance, and your expertise and influence are crucial in this process.
More information: Maria Langlois et al, Experiencing nature leads to healthier food choices, Communications Psychology. DOI: 10.1038/s44271-024-00072-x
Journal information: Communications Psychology Provided by INSEAD Asia Campus
