NCT06296355

Impacts of Warning Labels on Ultra-Processed Foods

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 4,000 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 55 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Purpose: The overall purpose of this study is to identify the impacts of an ultra-processed (UPF) health warning label and UPF identify warning label compared to a control label (i.e., a barcode). Participants: \~4,000 US Latino adults of parental age (18-55 years), approximately 50% of whom will have limited English proficiency, recruited from a Latino-focused panel company. Procedures: Participants will be randomly assigned to view food products with one of three label types: health warning labels, identity labels, or barcode control labels. Participants will be asked a series of questions about the products and the label they were assigned.

Detailed description

On the study platform (Qualtrics), participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 3 arms with equal probability: a UPF health warning label, a UPF identity label, or a barcode control label. Participants will view four products (a fruit-flavored drink, pretzels, a yogurt, and a breakfast cereal) displayed in random order, each with a label displayed on the front of package according to the participants' study arm. Participants will complete a 13-item online survey to assess each product as to a) whether the product is ultra-processed; b) perceptions of healthfulness; c) intentions to purchase the product.

Conditions

• Health Behavior
• Diet, Healthy

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Health Warning Label	Message displayed on warning label is: "WARNING: Consuming ultra-processed food and drinks can cause weight gain, which increases the risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes."
BEHAVIORAL	Identity Warning Label	Message displayed on warning label is: "WARNING: Ultra-processed food".
OTHER	Barcode Label	Barcode is displayed.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-08-09
• Primary completion: 2024-09-11
• Completion: 2024-09-11
• First posted: 2024-03-06
• Last updated: 2024-10-15

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States