title: Optimal Defaults in the Prevention of Pediatric Obesity: From Platform to Practice.
abstract: The term "optimal defaults" refers to imparting pre-selected choices which are designed to produce a desired behavior change. The concept is attractive to policymakers because it steers people toward desirable behaviors while preserving free choice through the ability to opt out. It has been found to be a powerful behavioral determinant in areas such as pension plan enrollment, organ donation, and green energy utilization. We discuss how optimal defaults can be applied to pediatric obesity prevention in several domains including public policy, institutional, private sector, and home environment. Although there are obstacles to overcome in implementing optimal defaults, it is a promising component to incorporate in a multi-level strategy for preventing pediatric obesity.
authors.affiliation: Fairleigh Dickinson University, School of Psychology of Psychology, USA.
authors.forename: Cynthia
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Radnitz
authors.affiliation: Fairleigh Dickinson University, School of Psychology of Psychology, USA.
authors.forename: Katharine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Loeb
authors.affiliation: Fairleigh Dickinson University, School of Psychology of Psychology, USA.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: DiMatteo
authors.affiliation: The Pennsylvania State University, Department of Nutritional Sciences and Department of Food Science, USA.
authors.forename: Kathleen L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Keller
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University School of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Zucker
authors.affiliation: Yale University, Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity, USA.
authors.forename: Marlene B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Schwartz
keywords: Optimal defaults; Pediatric obesity; Prevention