Front-of-package Labels for Dietary Behavior

Overseen By Brittany Lemmon

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of California, Davis

Disqualifiers: Failing attention check, others

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

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 1

10000 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

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

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

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Front-of-package label for dietary behavior?

Research shows that front-of-package labels, like the Nutri-Score, help people make healthier food choices by clearly showing the nutritional quality of foods. Studies found that these labels lead to better food choices and help consumers correctly rank foods by their nutritional value. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is front-of-package labeling safe for humans?

The research does not provide specific safety data for front-of-package labels, but these labels are generally considered safe as they are simply informational tools designed to help consumers make healthier food choices. ^{4 6 7 8 9}

How do front-of-package labels differ from other treatments for improving dietary behavior?

Front-of-package labels are unique because they provide immediate, visual information on food packaging to guide healthier food choices, unlike other treatments that may involve dietary counseling or medication. They work by influencing consumer behavior directly at the point of purchase, making them a practical tool for promoting healthier eating habits. ^{4 10 11 12 13}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study aims to compare different front-of-package label designs, using two schemes: (1) High In and (2) Nutrition Info with each scheme having (1) a version with colors (i.e., green, yellow, and/or red) indicating level of nutrient content and (2) a black-and-white version. Additionally the Nutrition Info scheme will have a version that includes the percent Daily Value in black and white. Labels will be compared against a no-label control and one another.

Research Team

Jennifer Falbe, ScD, MPH

Principal Investigator

University of California, Davis

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for U.S. residents who are at least 18 years old, have eaten restaurant food in the past month, and speak English. Participants will represent a diverse mix based on gender, race/ethnicity, education level, and age to match U.S. Census data.

Inclusion Criteria

I speak English.

I live in the U.S.

I have eaten food from a restaurant in the past month.

Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

1-2 weeks

Intervention

Participants view food-and-beverage products with different front-of-package label designs

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Assessment

Participants' understanding and behavior are assessed through selection tasks and healthfulness scoring

Within approximately 5 minutes of intervention exposure

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for any additional feedback or outcomes post-intervention

1-2 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Front-of-package label

Trial Overview The study is testing different types of front-of-package labels on food items to see how they affect consumer behavior. It compares colorful 'High In' labels and black-and-white 'Nutrition Info' labels (with or without percent Daily Value) against no label at all.

Participant Groups

Group I: Nutrition Info without color, with percent Daily Value Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will see packaged food-and-beverage items displaying front-of-package labels that list "high", "medium", or "low" for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. "High" is defined as 20% or more of the daily recommended limit per serving, "medium" as 6-19%, and "low" as 5% or less. The label will also list the exact percent of the daily recommended limit (i.e., daily value) for each nutrient per serving. The label will have a white background and black text.

Group II: Nutrition Info with color Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will see packaged food-and-beverage items displaying front-of-package labels that list "high", "medium", or "low" for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. "High" is defined as 20% or more of the daily recommended limit per serving, "medium" as 6-19%, and "low" as 5% or less. The word "high" will be highlighted red; the word "medium" will be highlighted yellow; and the word "low" will be highlighted green.

Group III: Nutrition Info black and white Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will see packaged food-and-beverage items displaying front-of-package labels that list "high", "medium", or "low" for saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars. "High" is defined as 20% or more of the daily recommended limit per serving, "medium" as 6-19%, and "low" as 5% or less. The label will have a white background and black text.

Group IV: High-In with color Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will see packaged food-and-beverage items displaying front-of-package labels that say, "High In \[nutrient\]" (nutrients: saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar) if the item contains 20% or more of the daily recommended limit per serving for each nutrient. The nutrients will be highlighted in red. If the item is not high in 1 or 2 of the nutrients, the nutrient(s) will not be on the label. If the item is not high in any of the 3 nutrients, the product will not display this label.

Group V: High-In black and white Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will see packaged food-and-beverage items displaying front-of-package labels that say, "High In \[nutrient\]" (nutrients: saturated fat, sodium, or added sugar) if the item contains 20% or more of the daily recommended limit per serving for each nutrient. The label will have a white background and black text. If the item is not high in 1 or 2 of the nutrients, the nutrient(s) will not be on the label. If the item is not high in any of the 3 nutrients, the product will not display this label.

Group VI: No-label Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will see packaged food-and-beverage items with no front-of-package labels (other than any posted by the manufacturer).

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of California, Davis

Lead Sponsor

Trials

958

Recruited

4,816,000+

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of Front-Of-Pack Nutrition Labels in French Adults: Results from the NutriNet-Santé Cohort Study. [2018]

2. Australia pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effectiveness of interpretive front-of-pack nutritional labelling schemes on the promotion of healthier food choices: a systematic review. [2020]

3. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nutri-Score: The Most Efficient Front-of-Pack Nutrition Label to Inform Portuguese Consumers on the Nutritional Quality of Foods and Help Them Identify Healthier Options in Purchasing Situations. [2022]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Association of perception of front-of-pack labels with dietary, lifestyle and health characteristics. [2023]

5. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Effect of front-of-package nutrition labeling on food purchases: a systematic review. [2021]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Methodological quality of front-of-pack labeling studies: a review plus identification of research challenges. [2019]

7. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Nutrient-Based Warning Labels May Help in the Pursuit of Healthy Diets. [2019]

8. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial. [2021]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Can front-of-pack labelling schemes guide healthier food choices? Australian shoppers' responses to seven labelling formats. [2022]

10. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The influence of front-of-pack nutritional labels on eating and purchasing behaviors: a narrative review of the literature. [2023]

11. Germany pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The importance of front-of-pack labels in improving health status and eating behavior. [2023]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Ability of Nutrition Warning Labels to Improve Understanding and Choice Outcomes Among Consumers Demonstrating Preferences for Unhealthy Foods. [2023]

13. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Consumer acceptability and understanding of front-of-pack nutrition labels. [2015]