The Effectiveness of PACE Label on Reducing Food Consumption and Increasing Physical Activity Levels

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Background: More people are at the risk of chronic disease as the prevalence of obesity increases. It is therefore essential to find ways of helping consumers to make a lower calorie food choice. Current evidence indicates that current food labelling is changing food choices and consumption, but it is of limited effectiveness. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to assess the efficacy of physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) food labelling on food selection and consumption using a randomised experimental design in pop-up café. Method: This study as a randomised controlled experimental trial (RCT) was conducted in a research kitchen at Loughborough University. Participants were blinded to the exact purpose of the study and randomised to either exposure to PACE labelling plus calorie food labelling or calorie labelling only and asked to select food/drinks for their consumption, in the pop-up café up to a maximum value cost of £10. The study outcomes were the amount of money spent, the number of calories selected, and the amount of food consumed after exposure to the two different types of food labels.

Official Title
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The Effectiveness of Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent (PACE) Label on Reducing Food Consumption and Increasing Physical Activity Levels: a Randomized Controlled Trial

Conditions
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Health Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: PACE label


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: at least 18 years old healthy Exclusion Criteria: allergic to the foods in the pop up café chronic disease such as insulin-dependent diabetes BMI lower than 16 kg/m2.

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years
Maximum Age: 75 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Double


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: PACE Label group<br>This group used the PACE label plus calorie label to help participants to know about the number of minutes of walking or running required to burn off the calories in food and drinks. | Behavioral: PACE label<br>* There were 34 food and drinks choices available for consumption in the pop up café. The labels were displayed next to the food/drink item in the pop up café. The food items were kept in the same position for each participant kitchen to simulate the café environment. Then researchers changed the labels on the display according to the randomisation allocation of each participant. After randomsation participants were informed that they have £10 to spend in the pop-up café and that they could eat the food they selected in a private social eating room.<br>|
| No Intervention: Calorie Label group<br>This group used only calorie labels to show the number of calories in food and drinks. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Money Spent | Participants had £10 to spend in the pop-up café and they could eat the food they selected in a private social eating room. The total money they spent were measured when they left the lab. | Immediately after the intervention | 
| Calorie Intake | The researchers used a digital scale to weigh the original remaining food to the nearest 0.1 gram. The name of food items, the number of calories in each item selected, and the weight of leftover (using calibrated food weighing scales) was recorded for each participant. They were to ensure that all participants had finished eating and left the lab before weighing the remaining food. | Immediately after the intervention | 
| The International Physical Activity Questionnaires(IPAQ) | 24-hour physical activity questionnaire was sent to them via email one day after the experiment. | 24 hours after the intervention |