Food served in hospitals often receives negative feedback. Notably, the amount of meat included in meals tends to be excessive. However, hospitals have the potential to inspire patients to opt for healthier menu options, as highlighted by two recent studies.
Hospital food frequently has a poor reputation. In particular, the amount of meat on patients’ plates is typically too high and often does not align with the guidelines provided by the German Nutrition Society (DGE), which encourages a more plant-centric diet within healthcare facilities. Research from Bonn University Hospital (UKB) and the University of Bonn indicates that hospitals can take significant steps to motivate patients towards healthier eating choices. The studies involved approximately 2,000 participants and the findings can assist hospital administrators in making necessary culinary reforms. The detailed outcomes of this research are set to appear in the August edition of the Journal of Environmental Psychology.
The research, headed by Prof. Simone Dohle at the Health and Risk Communication Lab of the Institute of Family Medicine at UKB, included two online studies that reflect the preferences of German adults who consume meat at least weekly. Both studies utilized a menu from a university hospital in Germany. Participants were split into two groups and asked to imagine themselves as hospital patients. Over a fortnight, they had to select their daily meal from three available options. One group’s menu featured two meat dishes each day, while the other group’s menu offered only one meat dish. Consequently, those in the latter group tended to choose more plant-based meals.
The Bonn researchers also added some food labels like “colorful and healthy” to their meals, but this strategy appeared to decrease overall satisfaction with the menu, especially when there was a strong offering of vegetarian options. Furthermore, changing the names of the meals from “wholefood, light food, and vegetarian food” to “Menu 1, Menu 2, and Menu 3” did not impact the participants’ meal preferences or their satisfaction levels.
These findings indicate that the way a menu is structured can affect food choices and overall satisfaction among meat eaters in healthcare environments, but further studies are needed to explore this more deeply within clinical settings.
Prof. Dohle, who is part of the Transdisciplinary Research Area (TRA) “Sustainable Futures” at the University of Bonn, remarks on the results: “Food choice architecture can guide individuals towards healthier and more sustainable eating alternatives. For patients receiving standard hospital meals without specific dietary restrictions, increasing vegetarian options could motivate them to make healthier food selections. On the contrary, enhancing menu descriptions is unnecessary and might even lessen satisfaction. We aspire for our findings to provide a solid scientific foundation for lasting improvements to hospital menus, promoting healthier diets overall.”
