title: Trick, treat, or toy: children are just as likely to choose toys as candy on halloween.
abstract: This study investigated whether children would choose toys over candy when offered both on Halloween. Seven households gave trick-or-treaters a choice between comparably sized toys and candies. The subjects (N = 284) were between 3 and 14 years of age. Children were just as likely to choose toys as candy. There were no gender differences. The implication of this study is that children will not be disappointed by toy treats on Halloween. In practice, nutrition professionals should encourage adults to create holiday traditions that do not rely on unhealthful foods.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Yale Center for Eating and Weight Disorders, Yale University, New Haven, Connecticut, USA. marlene.schwartz@yale.edu
authors.forename: Marlene B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Schwartz
authors.forename: Eunice  Y
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Kelly D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Brownell
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002182:Candy; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior; D002664:Child Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control; D010988:Play and Playthings / Q000523:psychology; D002666:Psychology, Child