Food Selection
Conditions
Brief summary
Most studies on menu labels have been conducted in mostly non-Hispanic white individuals, and how menu labels affect calories and macronutrients ordered in Hispanics is not clearly understood. This study evaluated the impact of menu labels on calories and macronutrients ordered in Hispanics.
Detailed description
According to review studies, calorie labels on menus is not effective in reducing the number of calories ordered or consumed. Adding contextual information such as the energy needs per meal or interpretive information such as minutes of walking needed to burn the food calories or rank-ordering the food items from the lowest to the highest calorie content may be more effective in making food selections with fewer calories. Most studies on menu labels have, however, been conducted in mostly non-Hispanic white individuals, and how menu labels affect food choices in Hispanics in not well understood. This study evaluated the impact of menu labels on calories and macronutrients ordered in Hispanics by randomly assigning the participants to a menu with no labels (no labels), a menu with rank ordered calorie labels and a statement on the energy needs per meal (calorie labels), and a menu with rank ordered exercise labels (exercise labels). Calories and macronutrients ordered by the participants was assessed.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCalorie Labels
Participants were asked to order food from the assigned menu as if they were having lunch in a fast food restaurant.
BEHAVIORALExercise Labels
Participants were asked to order food from the assigned menu as if they were having lunch in a fast food restaurant.
BEHAVIORALNo Labels
Participants were asked to order food from the assigned menu as if they were having lunch in a fast food restaurant.
Sponsors
Texas Christian University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Hispanics ages 18 through 65 years.
Exclusion criteria
* Not being able to read and write in either English or Spanish; pregnant or lactating women.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Calories Ordered | 20-30 minutes | Calories content of the food items ordered from the assigned menu was calculated. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Macronutrients ordered | 20-30 minutes | Macronutrients content of the food items ordered from the assigned menu was calculated. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed