Alice Grady1, Courtney Barnes2, Melanie Lum2, Jannah Jones2, Sze Lin Yoong3. 1. School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia. Electronic address: Alice.Grady@health.nsw.gov.au. 2. School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia. 3. School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Hunter New England Population Health, Wallsend, New South Wales, Australia; Hunter Medical Research Institute, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Priority Research Centre for Health Behaviour, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, New South Wales, Australia; Swinburne University of Technology, Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of incorporating nudge strategies in the design of a nutrition education workshop invitation on workshop registration among early childhood education and care centers. METHODS: A parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted with 88 centers. Centers received nudge strategies embedded within an enhanced invitation (intervention) or a generic invitation (control) to attend a nutrition education workshop. Center workshop registration and invitation recall and acceptability were compared between the 2 arms. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences in workshop registration (25% vs 20%; P = 0.61), invitation recall (69% vs 62%; P = 0.58) or acceptability (mean: 8.38 vs 8.06; P = 0.50) were found between intervention and control centers, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Low-intensity behavioral strategies embedded in the design of an invitation were insufficient to increase workshop registration significantly. Investigation and application of alternate evidence-based nudge strategies to encourage staff participation in nutrition education in early childhood education and care setting are recommended.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of incorporating nudge strategies in the design of a nutrition education workshop invitation on workshop registration among early childhood education and care centers. METHODS: A parallel-group randomized controlled trial was conducted with 88 centers. Centers received nudge strategies embedded within an enhanced invitation (intervention) or a generic invitation (control) to attend a nutrition education workshop. Center workshop registration and invitation recall and acceptability were compared between the 2 arms. RESULTS: No statistically significant differences in workshop registration (25% vs 20%; P = 0.61), invitation recall (69% vs 62%; P = 0.58) or acceptability (mean: 8.38 vs 8.06; P = 0.50) were found between intervention and control centers, respectively. CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS: Low-intensity behavioral strategies embedded in the design of an invitation were insufficient to increase workshop registration significantly. Investigation and application of alternate evidence-based nudge strategies to encourage staff participation in nutrition education in early childhood education and care setting are recommended.