Customer Perceptions of a Restaurant-Based Healthy Eating Program and Factors Associated with Healthy Food Selection in Restaurants

ABSTRACT

Background

Restaurant-based interventions are a promising strategy to improve community food environments and customer food choices.

Purpose

Describe the extent to which a restaurant-based program, Ochsner Eat Fit (EF), may influence healthier food choices, and identify factors associated with EF food item selection.

Methods

Cross-sectional intercept surveys with 608 customers in 34 EF restaurants.

Results

Of 608 respondents, 17.3% ordered an EF item. Of 307 respondents familiar with EF, 89.6% believed EF can help them make healthier food choices. Respondents who agreed the restaurant environment supported healthy choices were 3.4 times more likely to order EF than those who did not agree (95%CI:1.5–7.7, p = .003); African American respondents were 2.1 times more likely than White respondents (95%CI:1.1–3.7, p = .017); and customers trying to make dietary changes were 4 times more likely than those who were not (95%CI:1.2–13.1, p = .024).

Discussion

Customers believed EF can positively influence food choices. Race, desire to make dietary changes, beliefs about healthy foods, and perceptions of the restaurant environment were associated with food choices. Future programming efforts should consider increasing the number and promotion of healthy options to support healthy decision-making.

Translation to Health Education Practice

Findings can be used to inform the development of restaurant-based healthy eating programs.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Ochsner Eat Fit staff, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine research assistants, and Tulane University Dietetics Program interns for their help in data collection. Authors would also like to extend gratitude to Eat Fit restaurant staff for their participation.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Datasets are available by request.

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/19325037.2024.2366460

Additional information

Funding

The work was supported by the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Louisiana Foundation.