Menu Label Noticeability

University of California (UC) Davis

Status: Completed

Conditions: Noticing Nutrition Information; Recalling Nutrition Information

Treatments: Other: Menu label

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06204913

1641776-1

Details and patient eligibility

About

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).

Full 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).

Enrollment: 4,581 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 99 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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4,581 participants in 24 patient groups

Left, black, icon only, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored black, icon only design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, black, icon plus text, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored black, icon plus text design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, black, boxed icon, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored black, boxed icon design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, black, icon only, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored black, icon only design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, black, icon plus text, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored black, icon plus text design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, black, boxed icon, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored black, boxed icon design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, red, icon only, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored red, icon only design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, red, icon plus text, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored red, icon plus text design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, red, boxed icon, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored red, boxed icon design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, red, icon only, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored red, icon only design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, red, icon plus text, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored red, icon plus text design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, red, boxed icon, 100% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored red, boxed icon design, and height that is 100% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, black, icon only, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored black, icon only design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, black, icon plus text, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored black, icon plus text design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, black, icon only, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored black, icon only design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, black, icon plus text, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored black, icon plus text design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, red, icon only, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored red, icon only design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, red, icon plus text, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored red, icon plus text design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, red, icon only, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored red, icon only design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, red, icon plus text, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored red, icon plus text design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, red, boxed icon, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored red, boxed icon design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Left, black, boxed icon, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the left of the item, colored black, boxed icon design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, red, boxed icon, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored red, boxed icon design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label

Right, black, boxed icon, 150% height

Experimental group

Description:

Participant will order meals from two menus containing labels next to items high in added sugars (exceeding half the daily value). The label will be on the right of the item, colored black, boxed icon design, and height that is 150% of size of the menu text height.

Treatment:

Other: Menu label