Discovery Vitality introduces HealthyDining for sit-down meals in countrywide restaurants

“We’re excited to announce the expansion of Vitality HealthyDining, following the launch with Uber Eats earlier this year, into restaurants with our partners Col’Cacchio, Doppio Zero, Ocean Basket, and Nando’s,” said Dr Craig Nossel, Head of Vitality Wellness at Discovery. With the aim of positively influencing people’s food choices through innovative products and partnerships, Vitality’s HealthyFood benefit has been enhanced to create new holistic, nutritious options for families. Designed in response to the global obesity crisis and convenience-based consumption trends, the advances to the HealthyDining benefit mean Vitality members can now get rewarded for eating healthily while dining out, from 26 July.

“Unhealthy diets are responsible for millions of deaths globally, yet improvements could potentially prevent one in five of these premature deaths,” explains Dr Nossel. A sobering number of 4.5 million deaths in 2016 were caused by overweight and obesity related illnesses as a result of roughly 30% of the world’s population being overweight or obese. The situation in South Africa is worrying: nearly 70% of women and 31% of men are overweight or obese, while 13% of children are overweight, which for children, is twice the global average. The easy access to unhealthy foods that are cheap further perpetuates the problem, making it harder for people to make healthier choices.

It has become increasingly common for people to eat meals on their own, rather than with their families – that have been bought from a drive-through window or convenience store – and to consume these while on the move or distracted. “This is why at Vitality we are continuously looking at innovative ways to help our members make the healthy choice the easier choice,” says Dr Nossel.

“Our nutrition strategy is shaped by three simple but powerful principles – getting people to buy better food, cook more often and eat healthier meals when eating out. A key focus of this is encouraging the healthier dietary choices, particularly through the purchase of healthy foods to be prepared at home. However, we recognise that many people consume convenience and fast-food meals and to more effectively encourage healthy eating as a whole, we’re guiding members at every point at which they consume food, and helping them save money at the same time,” says Dr Nossel.

Vitality’s recommendations – and rewards – around nutrition have evolved, for the better.

• Buy: The Vitality HealthyFood benefit incentivises members to buy healthy foods, specifically whole, unprocessed foods that are lower in salt and sugar, by rewarding them with 25% cash back on qualifying items. Analysis shows that the benefit is effective in encouraging Vitality members to improve their baskets and reduce their weight. Purchasing just one more healthy food item per week (in each of the healthy categories of dairy, fats and oils, fruit, vegetables, protein-rich foods and legumes), as well as one less item per unhealthy food category (of processed meats, convenience meals, sweets and chocolates, sugary drinks, and cakes, muffins and biscuits), can result in a 3kg weight loss over a year.

• Cook: The Vitality HealthyFood Studio aims to inspire South Africans to prepare delicious foodat home more often, using whole, unprocessed and seasonal ingredients, and healthy cooking styles.
• Eat: The Vitality HealthyDining benefit rewards members, and particularly families, for choosing healthier options when eating out or buying take-aways via our restaurant partners.

To get rewarded for choosing healthy menu options, Vitality members simply need to activate the HealthyDining benefit from the Discovery app before placing an order through Uber Eats or sitting down to enjoy a meal at one of the in-restaurant partners. The offer is available immediately through Col’Cacchio, Doppio Zero and Ocean Basket, and Nando’s is coming soon.

Families can enjoy a hearty, healthier meal or enjoy a scrumptious weekday lunch – and get up to 25% cash back on Vitality healthy meals. Children also get 50% cash back on their Vitality meals. Vitality members can identify these meals by the ‘V’ stamp next to qualifying healthier meals.

With this in mind, the Vitality HealthyFood benefit, which rewards members for making healthy buying decisions at our partner retailers, Woolworths and Pick n Pay, is regularly reviewed against the latest and updated clinical guidelines. Through the HealthyFood indicator in store and by rewarding cash back, Vitality members are encouraged to choose healthy, less processed foods. These include plain fresh or frozen vegetables and fruit, healthy protein-rich foods such as fresh fish, as well as high-fibre starchy foods (breakfast cereals, breads and crackers) lowest in sugar and salt, among other healthy foods. 

“The HealthyFood benefit as a whole, uses the power of behavioural economics and big data analytics to inform our approach towards encouraging healthy, sustainable eating among our members.It is grounded in research that shows that people can make a significant impact on their health by changing their lifestyle and their buying behaviour,” says Dr Nossel.

Find out more about the new Vitality HealthyDining benefit, which goes live on 26 July 2019.