Purpose: This article reviews academic research to organize knowledge about how marketing and consumer behavior can lead people toward healthier lifestyles. The goal is to understand how management, marketing, and technology can work together to build a society that prevents obesity.
Approach: – We reviewed 46 academic articles published from 2000 to 2023 that discuss marketing and consumer behavior. This helped us to gather a broad understanding of the topic.
Key Findings
Our review identified three main areas where strategies can help prevent obesity:
- Product Design: This includes better labeling, naming, packaging, and product assortment which can encourage healthier buying decisions.
- Technology in Prevention: We looked at how mobile apps, self-monitoring techniques, text message services, and digital health tools can support people in maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
- Marketing Strategies: Effective communication techniques like social advertising and persuasive messaging can promote healthier choices. We also found strategies specifically aimed at preventing childhood obesity.
Alongside these findings, we propose a detailed plan for future research. This includes studying the effectiveness of these strategies, how they can be tailored to individual needs, and their cost-effectiveness.
Limitations
The main limitation is that we only reviewed articles in English, potentially missing valuable insights from other languages.
Practical Applications
This review is useful for professionals like managers, marketers, and policymakers who are tackling obesity. It offers actionable insights and strategies to confront this global health issue. Researchers and business strategists can also use this information to guide their future projects.
Social Impact
The study provides a range of strategies for obesity prevention, such as improved product labeling and the use of new technologies like apps and alerts. These efforts align with broader social goals to create healthier communities through informed business and marketing practices.
Originality
This is the first study to take a comprehensive, multidisciplinary look at obesity prevention, offering new perspectives on integrating different fields to address a major health challenge.
By summarizing the existing literature, this article provides valuable insights into how we can use design, technology, and marketing to foster a healthier future.
