Food advertising

BACKGROUND

Every year, food companies spend billions of dollars marketing and advertising unhealthy foods to children and adults, contributing to the creation of an obesogenic (obesity-promoting) environment. Over a billion dollars are spent annually on marketing breakfast cereals, carbonated beverages and restaurant food to youth alone. However, access to nutrition information can help individuals learn about and develop better eating habits. Further, limiting advertising cues for unhealthy foods can help individuals make better food selections and mitigate suboptimal nutritional choices.

Skeletal

Endocrine

Digestive

Immune

Cardiovascular

Integumentary

Part 1
Advertising and Environmental Cues

VERIFICATION

The following requirement is met:

a.⁷⁷

Advertisements for any food or beverage items that do not conform to the requirements set forth in the Processed Foods feature are not displayed on the premises.

On Site
Visual Inspection

Part 2
Nutritional Messaging

VERIFICATION

Using prominent displays such as educational posters, brochures or other visual media, designated eating areas or common areas contain at least 3 different instances of messaging per project intended to achieve either or both of the following requirements:

a.⁷⁷

Encourage the consumption of whole, natural foods and cuisines.

b.⁷⁷

Discourage the consumption of sugary or processed foods and beverages.

On Site
Visual Inspection

Part 3
Healthy Choices Promotion

VERIFICATION

The following requirements are met for point-of-decision prompts to promote healthier eating decisions:

a.¹⁶²

Menu signage provided upon entry to the dining area featuring only healthy food options.

b.¹⁶²

Menu signage provided at the beginning of the food service line, if present, featuring only healthy food options.

On Site
Visual Inspection

Part 4
Healthy Menu Design

VERIFICATION

Menus and menu boards are designed to meet at least two of the following requirements:

a.¹⁷⁵

Healthy menu items are listed using appealing descriptions.

b.¹⁷⁵

Healthy menu items are visually highlighted, such as through icons, different colors or bolding.

c.¹⁷⁵

Healthy menu items are listed first in each menu section.

d.¹⁷⁵

Healthy menu items are listed in prominent areas of the menu, for example at the top, bottom or corners of a menu page.

On Site
Visual Inspection

	Core & Shell	New & Existing Buildings	New & Existing Interiors
Part 1: Advertising and Environmental Cues	O	P	P
Part 2: Nutritional Messaging	O	P	P

	Commercial Kitchen	Education	Multifamily Residential	Restaurant	Retail
Part 1: Advertising and Environmental Cues	P	P	O	P	-
Part 2: Nutritional Messaging	-	P	O	P	-
Part 3: Healthy Choices Promotion	-	P	-	-	-
Part 4: Healthy Menu Design	-	-	-	P	-

Verification Methods Matrix

	Letters of Assurance	Annotated Documents	On-Site Assessment
Part 1: Advertising and Environmental Cues			Visual Inspection
Part 2: Nutritional Messaging			Visual Inspection
Part 3: Healthy Choices Promotion			Visual Inspection
Part 4: Healthy Menu Design			Visual Inspection

Standard Citations

77

**U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2010. 7th Edition, December 2010. U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.**
45.1.a	The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans identifies that nutrition and physical activity decisions are influenced by marketing and media.
45.2.a	The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans identifies that nutrition and physical activity decisions are influenced by marketing and media.
45.2.b	The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Dietary Guidelines for Americans identifies that nutrition and physical activity decisions are influenced by marketing and media.

**162**

Huang, TT, Sorensen, D, Davis, S, Frerichs, L, Brittin, J, Celentano, J, Callahan, K, and Trowbridge, MJ. Healthy Eating Design Guidelines for School Architecture. Prev Chronic Dis. 2013; 10: E27. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3592783/#R10. Accessed March 30, 2015.
45.3.b	The Healthy Eating Design Guidelines outline the provision of menu signage at food serving areas as a strategy for reinforcing healthy eating messages.
45.3.a	The Healthy Eating Design Guidelines outline the provision of menu signage at the entry to the dining area as a strategy for reinforcing healthy eating messages.

**175**

**Wansink B. Restaurant Dining by Design. In: Slim By Design: Mindless Eating Solutions for Everday Life. New York, NY: HarperCollins Publishers; 2014: 65-111.**
45.4.a	Slim by Design notes that descriptive words for healthy menu options sell more of that item.
45.4.c	Slim by Design notes to list healthier items first under menu sections.
45.4.d	Slim by Design discusses how menu the design of a menu could help guide the viewer's eye to healthier items, and notes that typically menus are read in a Z-shaped pattern, starting at the top left.
45.4.b	Slim by Design discusses how the design of a menu could help guide the viewer's eye to healthier items, such as through the use of text styling differences that catch the eye including bold type or icons.

This is a legacy version of the WELL Building Standard. Please check the latest version here.

Food advertising

BACKGROUND

Part 1 Advertising and Environmental Cues

Part 2 Nutritional Messaging

Part 3 Healthy Choices Promotion

Part 4 Healthy Menu Design

Applicability Matrix

Verification Methods Matrix

Standard Citations

Part 1
Advertising and Environmental Cues

Part 2
Nutritional Messaging

Part 3
Healthy Choices Promotion

Part 4
Healthy Menu Design