The Effect of Menu Labels on Calories Ordered in Hispanics

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Food Selection
• Interventions: Behavioral: Calorie Labels; Behavioral: No Labels; Behavioral: Exercise Labels

• Registration Number: NCT02804503
• Lead Sponsor: Texas Christian University

Brief Summary

Most studies on menu labels have been conducted in mostly non-Hispanic white individuals, and how menu labels affect calories and macronutrients ordered in Hispanics is not clearly understood. This study evaluated the impact of menu labels on calories and macronutrients ordered in Hispanics.

Detailed Description

According to review studies, calorie labels on menus is not effective in reducing the number of calories ordered or consumed. Adding contextual information such as the energy needs per meal or interpretive information such as minutes of walking needed to burn the food calories or rank-ordering the food items from the lowest to the highest calorie content may be more effective in making food selections with fewer calories. Most studies on menu labels have, however, been conducted in mostly non-Hispanic white individuals, and how menu labels affect food choices in Hispanics in not well understood. This study evaluated the impact of menu labels on calories and macronutrients ordered in Hispanics by randomly assigning the participants to a menu with no labels (no labels), a menu with rank ordered calorie labels and a statement on the energy needs per meal (calorie labels), and a menu with rank ordered exercise labels (exercise labels). Calories and macronutrients ordered by the participants was assessed.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2014-11
• Primary Completion: 2015-06
• Study Completion: 2015-06
• Status Verified: 2016-06
• Study First Submitted: 2016-06-14
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-06-14
• Last Update Submitted: 2016-06-14
• Study First Posted: 2016-06-17
• Last Update Posted: 2016-06-17

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 372

Inclusion Criteria

• Hispanics ages 18 through 65 years.

Exclusion Criteria

• Not being able to read and write in either English or Spanish; pregnant or lactating women.

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Calorie Labels	Calorie Labels	A menu with rank ordered calorie labels and a statement on the energy needs per meal.
No Labels	No Labels	A menu with no labels
Exercise Labels	Exercise Labels	A menu with rank ordered exercise labels showing minutes of brisk walking necessary to burn the food calories.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Calories Ordered	20-30 minutes	Calories content of the food items ordered from the assigned menu was calculated.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Macronutrients ordered	20-30 minutes	Macronutrients content of the food items ordered from the assigned menu was calculated.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Meena Shah; 🇺🇸 Fort Worth, Texas, United States