Download This PaperExperiencing Nature Leads to Healthier Food Choices
Communications Psychology, volume 2, issue 1, 2024[10.1038/s44271-024-00072-x]
35 Pages Posted: 15 Nov 2025
Date Written: May 03, 2024
Abstract
Experiencing nature has been linked to a host of benefits for health and well-being. Here, we examine if exposure to nature influences the food choices that may contribute to nature's benefits. Five between-subject experiments (n=39, n=698, n=885, n=1191, and n=913) show that individuals exposed to the natural environment choose healthier foods when compared to those exposed to urban environments or a control condition. Nature’s effects are observed for various foods and beverages, across samples from three countries, and in varied contexts, such as taking a walk in a park (vs. a city street) and looking at photos of nature (vs. urban or control) scenes. These findings provide insights into the relationship between proximity to nature and health.
Keywords: food, marketing, nature, nutrition, health
JEL Classification: I12, M31, M37
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Langlois, Maria and Chandon, Pierre, Experiencing Nature Leads to Healthier Food Choices (May 03, 2024). Communications Psychology, volume 2, issue 1, 2024[10.1038/s44271-024-00072-x], SMU Cox School of Business Research Paper No. 25-31, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=5738282
Pierre Chandon
INSEAD ( email )
Boulevard de Constance
77305 Fontainebleau Cedex
France
HOME PAGE: http://https://www.insead.edu/faculty-research/faculty/pierre-chandon/personal-site