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NCT Number: NCT07249398

Influence of Social Media Ads on Food Choice - Master Protocol

This is a Master ClinicalTrials.gov Protocol for study 20-01796:

Aim 1: Examining Influence of Social Media Ads on Black and White Adolescents' Food Choices - Study 1 (NCT05380505)

Aim 2: A Randomized Trial to Examine the Influence of "Likes" in Social Media Food Ads on Black and White Adolescents' Food Purchases - Study 2 (NCT06969638)

Aim 3: Comparing the Effects of Racial Congruence, "Likes," and Food Images in Social Media Ads on Adolescents' Caloric Intake - Study 3 (NCT06969651)

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Key information

Conditions

Food Selection Behavior Calorie Consumption Feeding Behavior Food Choices Food Preferences

Age range

13 year–17 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

NYU Langone Health

New York, 10016, United States

Location status: Recruiting

About this study

The overall objective is to determine the extent to which racially congruent Facebook food ads influence adolescents' food purchases and actual caloric intake. The investigators are conducting three randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The first two aims involve 15-minute online surveys in which participants (Black and White adolescents) rate ads then complete a "food purchasing" task through a virtual vending machine. The third trial will involve an in-person, hour long lab study where participants will be shown ads while investigators covertly monitor their eye movements.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • be 13-17 years of age;
  • identify as only non-Latino White or only Black/African American;
  • report that they log into Facebook at least once daily; and
  • read and speak English.

Exclusion criteria

  • Any criteria not met as listed above will bar an adolescent from participating in the study.

Treatment and study plan

Racially Congruent Ads

Behavioral

(Aim 1) Facebook food ads that are racially congruent.

Racially Incongruent Ads

Behavioral

(Aim 1) Facebook food ads that are racially incongruent.

Black Ads

Behavioral

(Aim 2 and 3) Food ads that feature Black individuals.

White Ads

Behavioral

(Aim 2 and 3) Food ads that feature White individuals.

Many Likes

Behavioral

(Aim 2 and 3) Food ads that have many "likes"

Few Likes

Behavioral

(Aim 2 and 3) Food ads that have few "likes"

Black-Non Food

Behavioral

(Aim 3) Ads featuring a Black person with a non-food product

White-Non Food

Behavioral

(Aim 3) Ads featuring a White person with a non-food product

Non Food-Many Likes

Behavioral

(Aim 3) Ads with Many "likes" featuring a non-food product

Non Food-Few Likes

Behavioral

(Aim 3) Ads with Few "likes" featuring a non-food product

Primary outcomes

  1. Number of Calories Purchased

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 15 minutes )

    Aim 1 Participants only.

  2. Number of Calories Purchased

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 5 minutes)

    Aim 2 Participants only.

  3. Caloric Intake

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 60 minutes)

    Aim 3 Participants only. Number of calories consumed during the study protocol.

  4. Visual Attention to Ad Features - First Fixation

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 60 minutes)

    Aim 3 Participants only. Measured as time to first fixation to the advertisement.

  5. Visual Attention to Ad Features - Gaze Duration

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 60 minutes)

    Aim 3 Participants only. Measured as the gaze duration during the advertisement.

  6. Visual Attention to Ad Features - Number of Fixations

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 60 minutes)

    Aim 3 Participants only. Measured as the number of fixations on ad features.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Attitude Toward Ad

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 15 minutes )

    Aim 1 Participants only. Attitude will be reported on a Likert scale of 1 to 100 (1 = likeable, 100 = unlikeable). The higher the score, the less likeable the ad is to the participant.

  2. Time Spent Viewing Ad

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 15 minutes )

    Aim 1 Participants only.

  3. Attitude Toward Ad

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 5 minutes)

    Aim 2 Participants only. Attitude will be reported on a Likert scale of 1 to 100 (1 = likeable, 100 = unlikeable). The higher the score, the less likeable the ad is to the participant.

  4. Engagement with Ads

    Time frame: Day 0 (approximately 5 minutes)

    Aim 2 Participants only. Participants indicate in which ways, if any, they would engage with each ad by answering the following question: "How you would respond if you saw this ad on social media"? [Select all that apply: "Like" [heart icon and other emojis], comment, tag a friend, direct message a friend, re-post, none of the above]). The outcome is measured as the number of participants who indicate they would engage with ads.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Program Manager

CONTACT

[email protected]

6465013880

Zora Hall

CONTACT

[email protected]

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

NYU Langone Health

Other

Collaborators

  • National Cancer Institute (NCI)
  • National Institutes of Health (NIH)
  • New York University

Registry information

Official study title

Examining Influence of Social Media Ads on Black and White Adolescents' Food Choices: Master ClinicalTrials.Gov Protocol for Aim 1 (NCT05380505), Aim 2 (NCT06969638) and Aim 3 (NCT06969651).

Important dates

Study start
2022
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Nov 25, 2025
Registry last updated
Nov 25, 2025

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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