habits.stanford.edu

Meal Photos – A mobile intervention promoting vegetable consumption

Eric KinariwalaKevon Saber

Goal: Persuade Six individuals to e-mail mobile photos of their meals

Participants: Two individuals already motivated to eat and track vegetable consumption. Four individuals in a friendly game of who can eat more vegetables over the week

Method: Initial e-mail asking participants to take and e-mail mobile photos of lunch and dinner. Participants received end of day e-mail response with daily vegetable intake

Persuasive Elements:-Simplest behavior that matters is taking a mobile photo when you eat-Attach request to take photo to existing routine (eating meals)-Daily progress update provides feedback

Testing:-Tested social/game element

outline

trigger e-mail trigger only on first day and midway through the week. Eating a meal is a trigger itself

meal photosparticipants e-mailed back mobile photos of their meals (lunch and dinner)

daily progress updateat the end of each day participants receive an update tallying vegetable intake

results

Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

7

4 4

7

8

7

6

Daily Total Responding

project lasted seven days for two meals per day for total of 14 possible daily responses

Al Tom Trevor Jen Annie Bart0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

7

13

1011

2

0

Individual Responses

resultssix total participants received daily e-mails

Already motivated

Friendly competition

Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

4

23 3 3 3 3

3

2

1

4

3

4

3

Responses by Meal Type

resultsno major differences between responses at lunch or dinner

Lunch

Dinner

Saturday Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday0123456789

10

6

2 24 4

24

4

55

5 3

63

Average Daily Vegetable Intake

resultsvegetable consumption per meal was strong

Lunch

Dinner

project feedbackparticipants varied in their reactions to the intervention

What motivated you to send your photo each day?

I wanted to help out with your project! How did you feel when you got the progress report?

I felt pretty good that we were doing OK with our veggie intake. I know I missed a couple if meals, so I felt bad about not taking a picture of them. Perhaps taking pictures at meal time would be habitual after a certain amount of time.    On a scale from 1-10, how hard was it to participate?  What was the hardest part? 

9. The hardest part was remembering to take a picture before eating. Again, I think it could become habit after a month or so of doing it. 

What motivated you to text your photo after each lunch and dinner?   

I love FOOD and love recommending good food and good restaurants. I also document what I eat.  How did you feel when you got the progress report? 

I love the progress report because it showed me whether or not I was on track with my commitment and also it showed my veggie intake.  On a scale from 1-10, how hard was it to participate? 

I found it to be easy. I wish I could have sent photos of the other foods I ate besides the veggies.

 What was the hardest part? -It was not hard at all. 

Participant One Participant Two

I think it's much easier to be accountable because 1) there's a friend on the other end and 2) I have a feeling that you're counting on me in some way (even if that is illusive).

Also, Mary is giving me a hard time, saying that it's "like I have an eating disorder.“

Participant Three

summary

No discernible difference in lunch vs. dinner response rate

Project half point trigger e-mail re-engaged many participants

Motivated individuals responded an average of 10 times over the 7 days, while those in the friendly game average 6 times

Trial period not long enough to determine if intervention resulted in increased vegetable consumption

This intervention could be habit forming over time given all aspects – eating, taking a mobile photo, and e-mailing are part of existing behaviors and routines

Feedback that allows for tracking keeps participants involved, but triggers not “hot” as difficult to time others’ meals