Web-based Application to Enable Healthy Behaviors Through Behavioral Design

Background Nutrition, Physical Activity, and Obesity are key objectives for Healthy People 2020. A 2015 executive order directed federal agencies to apply behavioral insights to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of government programs and the CDC’s 2017 Food Service Guidelines for Federal Facilities encourage the use of behavioral design strategies to make healthier foods and beverages easier for consumers to choose. However, little guidance exists to help public health professionals (such as public health departments) and private and public sector building operations (such as food service and vending operators) apply behavioral design strategies in order to enable healthier dietary or physical activity behaviors. Tools such as the Sustainable Facilities Tool (sftool.gov) and USDA’s Smarter Lunchroom tool provide initial guidance but lack the necessary breadth and detail in operationalizing behavioral design approaches toward dietary or physical activity practices. Building and design firms recognize that nearly all aspects of their work will influence the occupant’s or user’s experience and behavior, however, they neither have the expertise nor inclination to consider health as a primary outcome. These firms do recognize the value of health and potential return on investment (ROI) to their clients and thus, are willing and interested to incorporate health-enabling design. This can be assisted by the translation of evidence from scientific and practice fields such as psychology, community design, public health, philosophy, design, engineering, and many others into guidance on how experience and, in turn, behaviors and cognitive processes are affected by our environment.This area can be moved forward via tools that translate and operationalize evidence-based strategies that alter the human experience with the built environment for the advancement of public health. Ultimately, the goal is for health to be a normative consideration and outcome in the design and construction of the places we live, work, and play.