Impact of Front-of-package Warning Labels on Perceived Weight Stigmatization

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Weight Stigma
• Interventions: Behavioral: Control labels; Behavioral: Graphic health warning labels; Behavioral: Nutrient warning labels; Behavioral: Text-only health warning labels

• Registration Number: NCT06179043
• Lead Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Brief Summary

The goal of this experiment is to examine the effects of three different types of front-of-package warning labels for sugar-sweetened beverages on perceived weight stigmatization, as well as the effect of making such labels more weight-neutral. The main questions this experiment aims to answer are:

* Are certain types of front-of-package warning labels perceived as more stigmatizing than others?

* Are more weight-neutral versions of front-of-package warning labels perceived as less stigmatizing than their regular versions?

* Is there a trade-off between label effectiveness in discouraging product consumption and perceived weight stigmatization?

Additionally, this experiment also aims to answer the following questions:

* Does exposure to certain types of front-of-package warning labels lead to changes in participants' weight bias?

* Are changes in participants' weight bias as a result of label exposure mediated by attribution of personal responsibility for body weight, pathogen disgust, or perceived social consensus?

Detailed Description

Participants will be randomly assigned to see one of four types of labels: control labels, nutrient warning labels, text-only health warning labels, or graphic health warning labels. Participants will then see an image depicting different types of fictional sugar-sweetened beverages carrying the label type that they were assigned to. Participants will see this image twice, in random order, each time differing in whether the label is weight-neutral or not (i.e., whether the label references calories/obesity or not). Each time, participants will answer survey questions about the label. Last, participants will answer survey questions measuring their weight bias and potential mediating variables.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2023-12-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-12-11
• Study First Posted: 2023-12-21
• Status Verified: 2024-01
• Study Start: 2024-01-18
• Primary Completion: 2024-01-26
• Study Completion: 2024-01-26
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-02-09
• Last Update Posted: 2024-02-13

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 2522

Inclusion Criteria

Not provided

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Exclusion Criteria

-Involved in any pre-testing.

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Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Control labels	Control labels	Individuals in this trial arm will see neutral control labels on sugar-sweetened beverages.
Graphic warning labels	Graphic health warning labels	Individuals in this trial arm will see graphic health warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages.
Nutrient warning labels	Nutrient warning labels	Individuals in this trial arm will see nutrient warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages.
Text-only health warning labels	Text-only health warning labels	Individuals in this trial arm will see text-only health warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Perceived weight stigmatization, mean score	Immediately after exposure to intervention (i.e., study stimuli), assessed during one-time online study survey.	Stigmatization of people with obesity will be measured by survey through a three-item scale. Items will inquire about how much participants perceive the label to (1) stigmatize people with obesity, (2) promote negative stereotypes about people with obesity, and (3) portray people with obesity in a disrespectful manner. Response options will be on a 1 to 5 scale, with higher scores representing a higher perceived weight stigmatization by the study labels. Each participant's responses to each item will be combined to obtain their final score on the outcome.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Perceived message effectiveness, mean score	Immediately after exposure to intervention (i.e., study stimuli), assessed during one-time online study survey.	How much the labels discourage participants from wanting to consume the products will be measured by survey. Response options will be on a 1 to 5 scale, with higher scores representing a higher perceived message effectiveness.
Weight bias, mean score	Immediately after exposure to intervention (i.e., study stimuli), assessed during one-time online study survey.	Weight bias will be measured by survey through a seven-item scale. Items will present participants with adjective pairs and ask that they select the box closest to the adjective that they feel best describe their feelings and beliefs about people with obesity: (1) lazy-industrious, (2) no will power - has will power, (3) good self-control - poor self-control, (4) active - inactive, (5) self-indulgent - self-sacrificing, (6) dislikes food - likes food, (7) undereats - overeats. Response options will be 5 boxes between adjectives, which will be coded on a 1 to 5 scale so that higher scores represent higher weight bias. Each participant's responses to each item will be combined to obtain their final score on the outcome.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; 🇺🇸 Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States