Impacts of Sugar Warnings on Weight Bias

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effects of added sugar warning labels for sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) on explicit weight bias and body weight attributional judgements. Participants will be assigned to view either control labels or added sugar warning labels applied on SSBs in an experimental store. Participants will shop for beverages in the store and take a computer survey during four visits to the store, spaced approximately one week apart.

Conditions

  • Nutrition
  • Diet Interventions

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Over 18 Years
Eligible Sex
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Inclusion Criteria

  • 18 years and older - Bought sugary drinks from a store at least once during the past week - Willing to attend 4 in-person study appointments

Exclusion Criteria

• Living in the same household as someone else in the study

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Primary Purpose
Prevention
Masking
None (Open Label)

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Other
Control label
  • Behavioral: Control label
    The control label will display a neutral, square-shaped barcode. Labels will be placed on the front of SSB containers in the experimental store.
Experimental
Added sugar warning
  • Behavioral: Added sugar warning
    The added sugar warning will be octagon-shaped and will state "HIGH IN ADDED SUGAR." Warnings will be placed on the front of SSB containers in the experimental store.

Recruiting Locations

UNC MiniMart Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina 27514
Contact:
Violet Noe
252-714-3572
violetn@email.unc.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Study Contact

Aline D'Angelo Campos, PhD, MPP
9199663215
adangelo-campos@unc.edu

Detailed Description

This study aims to determine whether applying added sugar warnings on sugary drinks impacts explicit weight bias and body weight attributional judgements. Approximately 543 adults (ages 18 and older) who have bought at least one SSB in the past week will attend four in-person visits at an experimental store, spaced approximately one week apart. Participants will be randomized to see either neutral control labels or added sugar labels on SSB containers during their visits to the experimental store. At each study visit, participants will shop for beverages in the store and take a computer survey. Explicit weight bias and attribution of responsibility for body weight will be assessed via the computer surveys at the first and last visit.