Evaluation of the potential of promoting healthy and sustainable food choices in a worksite canteen through an app-based intervention

Work environments are pivotal for nudging workers to healthy and sustainable diets. The sì.mediterraneo application was developed and tested to promote healthy and sustainable food choices among employees of an Italian company. Employees voluntarily enrolled in the study by registering to the app that comprised educational materials and functionalities to order food and suggest the best meal choices at the canteen; record progress by setting nutritional and food intake goals; foster users’s engagement. In total, 247 participants completed 6 months of intervention. The meal composition selected by employees was not compliant with the Healthy Eating Plate, but the nutritional composition was almost adequate. When adjusted for the reference energy content for lunch, the environmental indicators decreased over time. The intervention was slightly effective in nudging towards healthier and more sustainable food choices at worksite canteen. Improvement of tool usability and of the food environment should be considered in the future.