Clinical trial NCT06204913: Menu Label Noticeability
Official title: Restaurant Menu Study: Label Noticeability
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Noticing Nutrition Information
Recalling Nutrition Information
Lead sponsor: University of California, Davis
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2024-01-12
Enrollment: 4581
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 99
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: FACTORIAL
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: To assess the relative noticeability of the following added-sugar menu label elements using a factorial experiment: label type (icon-only vs. icon-plus-text label vs. boxed icon), color (black vs. red), size (100% vs. 150% of the height of the menu item text), and placement (left vs. right side of item).

Detailed description: The objective of this aim is to assess the relative noticeability of legally-viable added-sugar menu label characteristics. The investigators will use a between-subject experiment with a factorial design. Participants will be randomized to label type (icon-only vs. icon-plus-text label vs. boxed icon), color (black vs. red), size (100% vs. 150% of the height of the menu item text), and placement (left vs. right side of item). This results in 24 arms of the experiment.

The primary outcomes are noticing a nutrition label and recognition of the label. Secondary outcomes are knowledge of items that are high in added sugar and perceived message effectiveness (PME) of labels.

For dichotomous outcomes (e.g., noticing the label, recalling label meaning), the investigators will directly estimate the probability ratio using Poisson regression with a robust error variance, regressing the outcome on an indicator for the level of the factor. For continuous outcomes (e.g., knowledge, PME scale), the investigators will use linear regression models regressing the outcome on an indicator for experimental condition.

A critical alpha 0.05 will be used, and statistical tests will be two-tailed. Exploratory outcomes include selection of ≥1 item high in added sugar and grams of sugar ordered from each menu, analyzed using the methods described above. The investigators will also explore proportions or means for the following process measures about reactions to the warning labels: Perception that the labels grabbed attention and support for an added sugars warning label policy. Additionally, the investigators will explore differences in the primary outcomes between each of the 24 unique conditions. If there is evidence of interactions between label elements, investigators will modify the modeling approach to account for those interactions (e.g., using interaction terms and stratified models).The investigators will use multiple testing corrections for families of outcomes (primary and secondary).

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Equal or greater than 18 years of age-
* Less than 100 years of age
* English-speaking
* U.S. residents
* Participants will reflect the U.S. Census Bureau's 2021 American Community Survey 5-year estimates for gender, race/ethnicity, educational attainment, and age

Exclusion Criteria:

* Failing the attention check question
* Completing the survey in less than 33% of the median completion time

Primary outcomes:
measure: Noticing and recall of added-sugar nutrient label - dichotomous variable "Correct" (Answered "Yes" to noticing, answered "Added sugars" to recall, and answered "high" for high low recall question) or "Incorrect" (otherwise)
timeFrame: up to approximately 1 minute
measure: Recognition of label - dichotomous variable "Correct" (selected the label they were assigned to" or "Incorrect" (any other option).
timeFrame: up to approximately 1 minute
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Knowledge of menu items high in added sugar - continuous variable using the percent of 8 items correctly classified
timeFrame: up to approximately 2 minutes
measure: Perceived Message Effectiveness of label - continuous variable based on a 3-item scale in which each item uses a 1-5 response scale
timeFrame: up to approximately 2 minutes
Other outcomes:
measure: Selection of at least one item high in added sugar
timeFrame: up to approximately 2 minutes
measure: Grams of sugar ordered
timeFrame: up to approximately 2 minutes
measure: Perception that the labels grabbed attention
timeFrame: up to approximately 1 minute
measure: Support for an added sugars warning label policy
timeFrame: up to approximately 1 minute
Locations:
city: Davis
country: United States
facility: University of California, Davis
state: California
Study officials:
affiliation: University of California, Davis
name: Jennifer Falbe, ScD, MPH
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: