Food Preferences, Healthy Diet, Nutrition
Conditions
Brief summary
This study aims to evaluate whether Ultra-Processed Food (UPF) warning labels on social media posts improve consumer understanding and influence purchase intentions among teens and young adults. Participants aged 13-29 in the United States will be recruited and randomized into two groups: a control group (no label) and an intervention group (UPF warning). Participants will view social media posts featuring UPFs with or without warning labels and respond to survey questions following each post.
Detailed description
This study is designed to assess the effect of a highly visible UPF warning label on social media posts among adolescents and young adults in the United States. we will recruit approximately 500 US teens aged 13-17 and 500 young adults aged 18-29. Participants will complete a between-subjects online randomized experiment. They will be randomized into either a UPF warning label group or a no label control group. Participants will view four social media posts featuring UPFs (with or without warning labels based on their assigned group) in random order. These posts are based on real Instagram advertisements from leading food and beverage companies; two posts will feature sugar-sweetened beverages and two will feature fast-food menu items. After viewing each post, participants will answer questions assessing consumer understanding, purchase intentions, and perceived healthfulness. At the end of the survey, all participants will also respond to questions regarding perceptions of control over healthy eating, policy support for UPF warnings, and their understanding of the term "ultra-processed food."
Interventions
BEHAVIORALUPF Warning Labels
Participants will view four Instagram posts featuring UPFs, displayed with warning labels
BEHAVIORALNo Labels (Control)
Participants will view four Instagram posts featuring UPFs, displayed without warning labels
Sponsors
University of Tennessee
Stanford University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
13 Years to 29 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Aged 13-29 * Reside in the US * Can read and speak English
Exclusion criteria
* Under the age of 13 or over 29 * Reside outside of the United States * Unable to complete a survey in English
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Consumer understanding | Assessed during one-time 10-minute online study survey | For each social media post, participants will be asked whether they think the product is ultra-processed. Response options will be "yes", "no", or "I don't know". Consumer understanding will be coded as a binary outcome: "yes" = correct; "no" and "I don't know" = incorrect. |
| Purchase intentions | Assessed during one-time 10-minute online study survey | For each social media post, participants will be asked how likely they would buy the product in the next week, either in-store or online. Response options will be on a 1-5 Likert scale, with 5 being "very likely". Higher scores indicate higher intentions to purchase the product. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Perceived healthfulness | Assessed during one-time 10-minute online study survey | For each social media post, participants will be asked how healthy the product seems to them. Responses options will be on a 1-5 Likert scale, with 5 indicating "very healthy". Higher scores indicate higher perceived healthfulness. |
| Perceptions of control over healthy eating | Assessed during one-time 10-minute online study survey | After viewing all four social media posts, all participants will be shown the UPF warning label (regardless of condition) and asked whether the UPF warning labels make them feel "less in control of making healthy eating decision," "neither less nor more in control or making healthy eating decisions," or "more in control of making healthy eating decisions." Responses will be binary coded: "more in control" = 1; "less" or "neither" = 0. |
| Policy support for ultra-processed food warning labels | Assessed during one-time 10-minute online study survey | After viewing all four social media posts, all participants will be shown the UPF warning label (regardless of condition) and asked whether they support or oppose a policy requiring these labels on social media advertisements for ultra-processed foods and beverages. Response options will be on a 1-5 Likert scale, with 5 indicating "Strongly support." Higher scores will indicate higher support for warning labels. |
Countries
United States
Contacts
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORYuru Huang
University of Tennessee
PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATORAnna Grummon
Stanford University
Outcome results
None listed