Mindfulness messages on napkins: The efficacy of dining hall napkins as a messaging channel

To assess the efficacy of utilizing dining hall napkins as a novel health messaging strategy to promote mindfulness.

Undergraduate students at a large Midwestern university.

Methods: Utilizing a place-based promotional strategy, mindfulness messages were printed on over 8-million napkins at dining halls. Surveys (N = 573) were used to measure message viewership, and attitudes toward mindfulness.

While only a few small significant effects for students who read the messaging were found (e.g., increases in self-efficacy for keeping ones phone out of sight while speaking with someone), napkins appeared to be a successful channel for reaching students. About 97% of students who dined in-person indicated they saw the napkin messaging. Additionally, students were more likely to read the napkin messaging when dining in-person rather than when they took their food "to-go."

Future research should continue to test napkins' efficacy as a messaging channel for health messaging for college students.