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Completed

NCT Number: NCT06296355

Impacts of Warning Labels on Ultra-Processed Foods

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.

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Key information

Conditions

Health Behavior Behavior Diet, Healthy

Age range

18 year–55 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

UNC Carolina Population Center

Chapel Hill, North Carolina, 27516, United States

About this study

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.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Identifying as Latino or Hispanic
  • Ages 18-55 years old
  • Currently resides in the United States

Exclusion criteria

  • Not identifying as Latino or Hispanic
  • Less than 18 or greater than 55 years old
  • Not residing in the United States

Treatment and study plan

Health Warning Label

Behavioral

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."

Identity Warning Label

Behavioral

Message displayed on warning label is: "WARNING: Ultra-processed food".

Barcode Label

Other

Barcode is displayed.

Primary outcomes

  1. Identification of a product as ultra-processed

    Time frame: Immediately after exposure to intervention, assessed during 1-time online study visit.

    Correct identification of a product as ultra-processed. Measured with the question, "Do you think this product is ultra-processed?" Response options are Yes, No, and I'm not sure.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Perceived product healthfulness of ultra-processed products

    Time frame: Immediately after exposure to intervention, assessed during 1-time online study visit.

    Measured with the question, "How good or bad for your health would it be to consume this product every day?" Likert responses are on a 1 to 5 scale, from "Very bad" (coded as 1) to "Very good" (coded as 5), with higher scores representing a higher perceived healthfulness.

  2. Intentions to purchase ultra-processed products

    Time frame: Immediately after exposure to intervention, assessed during 1-time online study visit.

    Measured with the question, "How likely would you be to purchase this product in the next week, if it were available?" Likert responses are on a 1 to 5 scale, from "Not at all likely" (coded as 1) to "Extremely likely" (coded as 5), with higher scores representing a higher intention to purchase ultra-processed products.

  3. Perceived message effectiveness

    Time frame: Immediately after exposure to intervention, assessed during 1-time online study visit.

    Measured with the question, "How much does this message discourage you from wanting to consume an ultra-processed food or drink?" Likert responses are on a 1 to 5 scale, from "Not at all" (coded as 1) to "Very much" (coded as 5), with higher scores representing a higher perceived message effectiveness.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Other

Collaborators

  • Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

Registry information

Important dates

Study start
2024
Primary completion
2024
Study completion
2024
First posted
Mar 6, 2024
Registry last updated
Oct 15, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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