The Efficacy of Front-of-package Labelling Schemes: an Experimental Study
1 other identifier
interventional
2,008
1 country
1
Brief Summary
This is an online study that aims to test the effectiveness of Interpretative Nutrition Rating Systems (INRS) such as the Health Star Rating System (HSR or Star System), traffic light system and warning labels (high sodium, saturated fat and sugar) proposed by Health Canada. The study will incorporate the use of a Smartphone application (app), FoodFlip®, to help educate consumers on each INRS prior to their exposure on food packages.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Sep 2017
Shorter than P25 for not_applicable
1 active site
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
Click on a node to explore related trials.
Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
First Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
September 8, 2017
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
September 20, 2017
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
September 21, 2017
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
October 9, 2017
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
October 9, 2017
CompletedOctober 4, 2018
October 1, 2018
19 days
September 8, 2017
October 3, 2018
Conditions
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Comprehension task - ability to identify healthy products (survey measure)
The participant's ability to identify the most healthy product in a group of 5 products in a task rating 5 products with varying levels of 'healthiness' according to modified FSANZ criteria. Question wording: Please rank these products in terms of healthiness where 1 is the"most healthy" and 5 is the "least healthy" cereal
1 day (assessed immediately after app task and while viewing products with labelling system applied
Comprehension task - ability to identify unhealthy products (survey measure)
The participant's ability to identify the least healthy product in a group of products in a group of 5 products in a task rating 5 products with varying levels of 'healthiness' according to modified FSANZ criteria. Question wording: Please rank these products in terms of healthiness where 1 is the"most healthy" and 5 is the "least healthy" cereal
1 day (assessed immediately after app task and while viewing products with labelling system applied
Secondary Outcomes (2)
Comprehension task - ability to identify the overall 'healthiness' of a product (survey measure - Likert scale)
1 day (assessed immediately after app task and while viewing products with labelling system applied
Hypothetical purchasing of products (survey measure - Likert scale)
1 day (assessed immediately after app task and while viewing products with labelling system applied
Study Arms (4)
Traffic Light
EXPERIMENTALParticipants in this group will be provided with a survey that shows the food and beverage packages with traffic light front of pack labels only. Intervention is the Nutrition Rating System - Traffic Light
Star System
EXPERIMENTALParticipants in this group will be provided with a survey that shows the food and beverage packages with health star rating front of pack labels only. Intervention is the Nutrition Rating System - Health Star Rating
Warning Label
EXPERIMENTALParticipants in this group will be provided with a survey that shows the food and beverage packages with warning front of pack labels only. Intervention is the Nutrition Rating System - Warning Labels
Control
NO INTERVENTIONParticipants in this group will be provided with a survey that shows the food and beverage packages without any front of pack labels.
Interventions
Behavioural: Nutrition Rating Systems (shown on the online survey and the mobile app) provide consumers with an interpretation of the healthfulness of a food or beverage, by indicating the levels (low=green, moderate=amber, high=red) of sodium, saturated fat and sugar in a product based on modified Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) criteria.
Behavioural: Nutrition Rating Systems (shown on the online survey and the mobile app) provide consumers with an interpretation of the healthfulness of a food or beverage product by indicating the number of stars awarded to a product, from 0.5 to 5 stars, based on modified Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) nutrient profiling criteria.
Behavioural: Nutrition Rating Systems (shown on the online survey and the mobile app) provide consumers with an interpretation of the healthfulness of a food or beverage product by indicating with a warning label products that are "high" in sodium, saturated fat and sugar, based on a percent daily value (%DV) greater than 15% for individual products and 30% for combination dishes.
This is embedded within each condition to inform and educate consumers about the labelling condition/intervention to which they are randomized. All participants are assigned to an app task to view 20 products and see the 'rating' these products would get according to their condition.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- speak English as a primary language
- reside in Canada excluding the Northern Territories
- are 18 years or over
- provide informed consent
- do at least some of the household grocery shopping
- own a smartphone (version iPhone 3 or later or Android)
- are able to complete the survey on a minimum screen size of 9.7 inches.
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
Study Sites (1)
University of Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, M5S3E2, Canada
Related Publications (2)
Vanderlee L, Franco-Arellano B, Ahmed M, Oh A, Lou W, L'Abbe MR. The efficacy of 'high in' warning labels, health star and traffic light front-of-package labelling: an online randomised control trial. Public Health Nutr. 2021 Jan;24(1):62-74. doi: 10.1017/S1368980020003213. Epub 2020 Oct 6.
PMID: 33019950DERIVEDAhmed M, Oh A, Vanderlee L, Franco-Arellano B, Schermel A, Lou W, L'Abbe MR. A randomized controlled trial examining consumers' perceptions and opinions on using different versions of a FoodFlip(c) smartphone application for delivery of nutrition information. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2020 Feb 12;17(1):22. doi: 10.1186/s12966-020-0923-1.
PMID: 32050996DERIVED
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- PREVENTION
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Chair of the Department of Nutritional Sciences
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
September 8, 2017
First Posted
September 21, 2017
Study Start
September 20, 2017
Primary Completion
October 9, 2017
Study Completion
October 9, 2017
Last Updated
October 4, 2018
Record last verified: 2018-10