UPF Warning Labels for Food Choice

Overseen By Anna Grummon, PhD

Age: < 65

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Tennessee

Disqualifiers: Under 13, Over 29, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial tests whether warning labels on social media posts about ultra-processed foods, such as snacks and sugary drinks, help people understand health risks and influence their purchasing decisions. The study targets adolescents and young adults in the U.S. Participants will be divided into two groups: one will see posts with UPF Warning Labels, and the other will see posts without labels. The trial seeks individuals aged 13-29 who live in the U.S. and can read and understand English. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could shape healthier social media environments.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for this trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems unlikely that you would need to stop, as the study focuses on food labels and social media.

What prior data suggests that UPF warning labels are safe for influencing food choices?

Research on food labeling has shown that warning labels on the front of packages can help people make healthier food choices. Strong evidence indicates that these labels lead to fewer purchases of less-healthy products, suggesting they effectively change buying habits without causing harm.

The UPF (Ultra-Processed Food) warning labels being tested involve no direct contact with the body, unlike taking medicine or receiving treatment. These labels appear in social media posts, posing no physical risk to participants. The main goal is to determine if the warning labels influence purchasing decisions.

Overall, UPF warning labels aim to improve awareness and understanding of health risks. No evidence suggests any safety concerns from viewing these labels in the study. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about using UPF warning labels on social media because this approach directly targets consumer behavior by raising awareness about the health risks associated with ultra-processed foods. Unlike traditional methods that often rely on public health campaigns or dietary guidelines, these warning labels are integrated into the everyday digital experience, making them hard to ignore. The labels are highly visible, featuring an eye-catching yellow triangle with exclamation marks and clear wording about the risks of obesity and type-2 diabetes, potentially prompting immediate and conscious food choices. By placing these warnings where people spend much of their time, researchers hope to observe significant changes in food choices, which could lead to better public health outcomes.

What evidence suggests that UPF warning labels are effective for improving consumer understanding and influencing purchase intentions?

This trial will compare the impact of UPF warning labels with no labels on food choices. Research has shown that warning labels on ultra-processed foods (UPFs) can help people recognize these products more easily. However, these labels might not immediately change purchasing plans or perceptions of these foods. Some studies suggest that information about UPFs can gradually influence how people view and possibly avoid these foods over time. Other evidence indicates that warning labels on the front of packages can lead to fewer purchases of less-healthy products. Overall, while UPF warning labels might not instantly change buying habits, they could help shift how people think about and choose foods in the long run. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Yuru Huang

Principal Investigator

University of Tennessee

Anna Grummon

Principal Investigator

Stanford University

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for teens and young adults aged 13-29 in the United States. It's designed to see if warning labels on social media change how they understand and feel about buying ultra-processed foods. Participants will be split into two groups, one seeing posts with warnings and the other without.

Inclusion Criteria

Reside in the US

Can read and speak English

I am between 13 and 29 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

Reside outside of the United States

Unable to complete a survey in English

I am either younger than 13 or older than 29.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Online Randomized Experiment

Participants are randomized into control or intervention groups and view social media posts with or without UPF warning labels

10 minutes

1 online session

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for responses to survey questions assessing consumer understanding, purchase intentions, and perceived healthfulness

1 week

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• UPF Warning Labels

Trial Overview The study tests whether UPF warning labels on social media can influence food preferences among adolescents and young adults by changing their understanding of these foods and affecting their intention to purchase them.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: UPF Warning Labels Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

UPF warning labels will be placed beneath each social media post. Each label will feature an icon accompanied by explanatory text, using the exact health risk wording proposed in the Childhood Diabetes Reductions Act: "Warning: consuming ultra-processed foods and drinks can cause weight gain, which increases the risk of obesity and type-2 diabetes". All text will be left-aligned. The icon will consist of exclamation marks within a yellow triangle. The warning label will be large and highly visible and enclosed within a bold rectangular border.

Group II: No Label (Control) Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

No label

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Tennessee

Lead Sponsor

Trials

202

Recruited

146,000+

Stanford University

Collaborator

Trials

2,527

Recruited

17,430,000+

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11462959/

“Warning: ultra-processed”: an online experiment ... Ultra-processed warning labels may help consumers better identify UPFs, although they do not seem to influence behavioral intentions and product perceptions ...

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0195666325003708

effects of exposure to information about ultra-processed vs. ... Public facing information about UPFs (or HFSS foods) likely affects consumer perceptions and avoidance of UPFs/HFSS foods, but may not impact on immediate food ...

3. globalfoodresearchprogram.org globalfoodresearchprogram.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/GFRP-Factsheet_FOPL_Jan-2025-rev2.pdf

Front-of-package labeling The strongest real-world evidence supports mandatory FOP nutrient warning labels to reduce purchases of less-healthy products and encouraging ...

4. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11013171/

How Promising Are “Ultraprocessed” Front-of-Package ... A substantive body of epidemiological evidence has shown associations between consumption of UPFs and all-cause mortality, cardiocerebrovascular ...

5. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/nutrition/articles/10.3389/fnut.2024.1421728/full

Ultra-processed foods consumption and health-related ... Prospective observational studies have reported significant associations between higher intake of UPFs and adverse health outcomes.

6. nature.com nature.com/articles/s41591-025-03842-0

Ultraprocessed or minimally processed diets following ... Current evidence suggests that the associations between UPF and adverse health outcomes are not explained by macronutrient or food group ...

7. bmj.com bmj.com/content/384/bmj-2023-077310

Ultra-processed food exposure and adverse health outcomes Greater exposure to ultra-processed food was associated with a higher risk of adverse health outcomes, especially cardiometabolic, common mental disorder, and ...

8. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2667368125000476

The impact of ultra-processed foods on pediatric health Early-life exposure to UPFs can establish unhealthy dietary patterns that persist into adulthood, raising the risk of chronic disease. Greater UPF consumption ...