Health halo

The phrase health halo (or health halo effect) denotes a phenomenon in which consumers are more likely to overeat a food when it is either explicitly marketed or perceived as “healthy.”

Research

Through a series of experiments, Pierre Chandon, Professor of Marketing at INSEAD, and Brian Wansink, Director of Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab, have explored this effect in detail.

In a 2007 study by Chandon & Wansink, participants were asked to estimate the caloric content of a dish from Subway (a “healthy” fast-food option) and McDonalds (an “unhealthy” fast food option). Both dishes had the same caloric content. Results showed that diners perceived the Subway meal as having lower calories than the McDonald’s meal.

Furthermore, in an extension of this study, Chandon & Wansink found that participants underestimated the calories of an identical dish when it was labeled with a “healthy” restaurant name (Good Karma Healthy Foods) than when it was labeled with an “unhealthy” name (Jim’s Hearty Sandwiches). Another example of the health halo is that higher calorie side dishes are more likely to be ordered when the main dish is from a “healthy” restaurant than when the main dish is from an “unhealthy” restaurant.

The health halo effect is also evident in health claims on packaging. When “low-fat” labels appeared on packaging, participants were more likely to eat more of the food.

Explanation and Implications

Although there are several moderators that still need to be studied, explanations of the health halo effect can be attributed to reduced amounts of guilt, resulting in increased consumption, and increased perceptions of portion size for foods with “healthy” labels and from “healthy” restaurants. Implications of the health halo effect on food manufacturers include increased need for explicit marketing. This could, for example, include explaining what exactly “low-fat” means. In this way, consumers may be less deluded and susceptible to the health halo effect.