Healthy
Conditions
Keywords
Decision Making, Consumption, Economics
Brief summary
Investigators will run a field study evaluating the impact different labels have on the purchasing of sugar sweetened beverages. This field study will take place in a hospital cafeteria.
Detailed description
In a hospital cafeteria investigators will label all sugar sweetened beverages to evaluate their impact on purchasing. Investigators will collect baseline data for two weeks on beverage sales at the hospital cafe. Following this data collection investigators will introduce a calorie label which reads Each beverage contains \[lower calorie bound\]-\[upper calorie bound\] calories per container. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice but calorie needs vary. These signs will be posted for two weeks and investigators will collect sales data. Following this intervention investigators will remove the signs and collect sales data for two weeks. At the end of this no label period, investigators will introduce the second intervention, a warning label. This label will read WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes, and tooth decay. This label will also be posted for two weeks and investigators will collect sales data. Investigators will then remove these signs and collect sales data for two weeks. Finally, investigators will introduce the third intervention: a warning label with graphic labels. This label will read WARNING: Drinking beverages with added sugar(s) contributes to obesity, diabetes and tooth decay. However this sign will also include a visual depiction of each health consequence. Investigators will collect sales data for this two week period. After this intervention investigators will collect sales data for an additional two weeks and then administer a brief survey to cafeteria customers to better understand their impressions of the labels.
Interventions
OTHERLabel Condition
Labels will be presented in front of drinks. We will vary the messaging presented to the consumer.
Sponsors
Harvard University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Customers of the hospital cafeteria.
Exclusion criteria
* None
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Sweetened beverages purchased | 2 week condition blocks | We will sum the total number of sugar sweetened beverages sold in each condition using the Universal Product Code (UPC) for bottled beverages and syrup weight for fountain beverages. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Unsweetened beverages purchased | 2 week condition blocks | We will sum the total number of unsweetened beverages sold in each condition using the Universal Product Code (UPC) for bottled beverages and syrup weight for fountain beverages. |
| Beverage calories sold | 2 week condition blocks | We will calculate the number of beverage calories sold during each condition, using the Universal Product Code (UPC) for bottled beverages, syrup weight for fountain beverages, and the products' nutritional information. |
| Changes in types of beverages purchased | 2 week condition blocks | We will examine any changes in the types of beverages purchased during each condition, using the Universal Product Code (UPC) for bottled beverages and syrup weight for fountain beverages. For example, if sugar-sweetened beverages sales decrease, do purchases of water increase? |
Outcome results
None listed