From Data to Dinner Plates: Empowering Equitable Transitions to Healthy and Sustainable Diets through Behavioural and Data Sciences

This research program aims to tackle the challenge of improving the overall health of the Canadian population, focusing on nutrition. The approach involves using methods from behavioral and data sciences. The study will investigate how small, non-economic encouragements (nudges) and financial incentives can influence people to make healthier and more sustainable food choices over the long term. For example, placing healthy food options prominently at the checkout is a type of nudge. The research involves creating an underlying technological infrastructure, connecting it with data from a grocery store loyalty card program, and analyzing how nudges and economic incentives affect shopping habits over time. The analysis will consider their impacts on total food intake, nutrients consumed, and the environmental impact of food choices. Additionally, the research will examine these influences across different socioeconomic groups to understand and address nutrition disparities. The ultimate aim is to offer practical insights for policymakers and businesses to promote fair, healthy, and sustainable diets.