NEWS Breaks

$3.95 		Nutrition Today
June 2011 
Volume 46  Number 3
Pages 104 - 105
 
  PDF Version Available!

ABSTRACT
Psychologists have long recognized that a phenomenon known as "the halo effect" affects how a particular trait of a person can be influenced by how we perceive other traits of the same individual. In other words, the fact that a person has a positive attribute can radiate a "halo," resulting in the perception that other characteristics associated with that person are also positive. A growing literature suggests that the halo effect may also apply to foods and ultimately influence what and how much we eat. Specifically, some people mistakenly assume that these foods are more nutritious just because they carry an "organic" label. A new study has examined whether the "health halo" surrounding organic foods would lead people to automatically perceive them as tastier or lower in calories. The researchers conducted a double-blind, controlled trial in 144 people who were asked to compare what they thought were conventionally and organically produced chocolate sandwich cookies, plain yogurt, and potato chips. However, all of the products, were actually of the organic variety-they were just labeled as being "regular" or "organic." Participants were then asked to rate each food for 10 different attributes (eg, overall taste, perception of fat content) using a scale from 1 to 9. They also estimated the number of calories and cost of each food item. Confirming the "health halo" hypothesis, the participants reported preferring almost all of the taste characteristics of the organically labeled foods, even though they were actually identical to their conventionally labeled counterparts. The foods labeled organic were also perceived to be significantly lower in calories and evoked a higher price tag. In addition, foods with the organic label were perceived as being lower in fat and higher in fiber. Overall, organically labeled chips and cookies were considered to be more nutritious than their "nonorganic" counterparts. So, not only is there a health halo emanating from organic foods,

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