Research

Adherence

Just-in-time mobile technology that provides comparative, relative nutritional information at the point of purchase can motivate incremental dietary behavior change by aligning with users' actual decision-making processes rather than abstract guidelines.

Use a mobile app or tool at the grocery store that lets you scan two items side-by-side to see a simple comparison of their nutritional value. Do not try to learn complex labels; just look for the relative difference between the specific brands you are already considering. This reduces decision fatigue and helps you make slightly better choices within the foods you already buy.

LimitedSupportsLOW confidence
Computing technology makes a new approach possible: deliver highly-tailored messages precisely at the point of decision [1] in response to the needs of the user at that moment... We have created a prototype tool that respects DGs 1-6 that uses a standard PDA with barcode scanner plug-in... The user interface is simple: scan one item and then another and see a relative comparison. However, even this simple tool can be used to deliver tailored, motivational information at points of decision.
James O. Hill et al. · Science · 1998

Why this rating

The paper describes a prototype and design goals based on interviews, not a randomized controlled trial with outcome data.

Source

Environmental Contributions to the Obesity Epidemic

James O. Hill et al. · Science · 1998

DOI 10.1126/science.280.5368.1371

preprintCited 2,240×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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