Added-Sugars Warning Label PSAs
An Online RCT Testing Added-Sugars Warning Label Public Service Announcements Among U.S. Hispanic Adults
2 other identifiers
interventional
2,000
0 countries
N/A
Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to determine if exposure to language-matched English-Spanish public service announcements (PSAs) can increase the understanding of and response to added-sugars menu warning labels among U.S. Hispanic adults. The hypothesis is that the experimental PSAs educating consumers about a new added-sugars menu label will significantly improve understanding of the label and reduce grams of added sugars in meals ordered from menus displaying the label. Participants will be recruited and randomized to one of two arms: (1) Control Arm: Viewing PSAs stating that using a phone while driving is dangerous or (2) Intervention Arm: Viewing PSAs informing participants about new added-sugars menu labels. Within the intervention arm, participants will be randomized to view one of three PSA themes.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Aug 2026
Shorter than P25 for not_applicable
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
August 1, 2026
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
August 23, 2026
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
August 28, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
October 1, 2026
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
October 1, 2026
August 28, 2026
August 1, 2026
2 months
August 23, 2026
August 27, 2026
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (2)
Noticing, recall, and understanding of the added sugar menu label
Noticing, recall, and understanding (hereafter, "noticing") of an added-sugars nutrient label where participants will be asked if they noticed any menu labels. If "Yes", participants would be asked what the warning label told them about (e.g., added sugars), and if answered "added sugars", what about added sugars (e.g., high amount of added sugars). If the three answers were "Yes", "Added sugars", and "high amount of added sugars", the dichotomous variable would be correct. Otherwise, the variable would be classified as incorrect. This outcome will be compared between the experimental PSA arm and the control PSA arm and between each of the three PSA intervention themes. Analysis will use Poisson regression with robust standard errors. Adapted from doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2025.108038.
Within approximately 5 minutes of intervention exposure
Grams of added sugar ordered
After the intervention, participants will place hypothetical meal orders from 2 realistic menus, shown in random order, that display an added-sugars warning label next to items containing ≥100% of the Daily Value for added sugars and a disclosure statement explaining the label's meaning. Added-sugars data will be estimated using restaurant website nutritional information. Analyses will use linear regression. Adapted from doi: 10.1016/j.amepre.2025.108038.
Within approximately 5 minutes of intervention exposure
Secondary Outcomes (11)
Noticing, recall, and understanding the PSAs
Within approximately 5 minutes of intervention exposure
Reported use of added-sugars label when selecting food items
Within approximately 5 minutes of intervention exposure
Selection of a food item high in added sugars for themselves
Within approximately 5 minutes of intervention exposure
Perceived message effectiveness of label
Within approximately 10 minutes of intervention exposure
Perceived message effectiveness of PSA
Within approximately 10 minutes of intervention exposure
- +6 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (2)
Safe Driving PSA
PLACEBO COMPARATORViewing safe driving PSAs from a hypothetical state public health department.
Added-sugars label PSA
EXPERIMENTALViewing added-sugars PSAs from a hypothetical state public health department. (Participants in this arm will be randomly assigned to view only one of the three interventions.)
Interventions
Viewing 2 PSAs with a "labels are coming soon" theme that contain an added-sugars warning label and a statement stating that chain restaurant menus must place warning labels on items that contain or exceed the recommended daily limit of added sugars.
Viewing 2 PSAs with a "hidden sugars in restaurant foods" theme that contain an added-sugars warning label and a statement stating that chain restaurant menus must place warning labels on items that contain or exceed the recommended daily limit of added sugars.
Viewing 2 PSAs with a "negative health outcomes" theme that contain an added-sugars warning label and a statement stating that chain restaurant menus must place warning labels on items that contain or exceed the recommended daily limit of added sugars.
Viewing 2 PSAs with a "safe driving" theme that contain a statement stating that using a phone while driving is a distraction and puts lives at risk.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- years of age or older
- Residence in the United States
- Hispanic ethnicity
- Ability to read English and/or Spanish
- Purchased food from a restaurant at least once per month
You may not qualify if:
- Failing attention check question
- Speeding (finishing survey in \<33% of the median completion time, which is calculated based on survey times from those who completed the survey and did not fail the attention check once 90% of the target sample has been recruited)
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
MeSH Terms
Interventions
Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Jennifer Falbe, ScD, MPH
University of California, Davis
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- SINGLE
- Who Masked
- INVESTIGATOR
- Purpose
- PREVENTION
- Intervention Model
- PARALLEL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Associate Professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
August 23, 2026
First Posted
August 28, 2026
Study Start
August 1, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
October 1, 2026
Study Completion (Estimated)
October 1, 2026
Last Updated
August 28, 2026
Record last verified: 2026-08
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will share
- Time Frame
- The IPD will be available no later than 6 months post-publication of all related research or 18 months from the end date of the award funding this work. The IPD will be available for approximately 5 years (depending on constraints of the repository).
- Access Criteria
- Data will be deposited in a repository, access to which will be described on the principal investigator's website. A data sharing agreement will be required to ensure that the data will only be used for non-commercial research purposes.
All variables used in the results of this study (experimental condition and individual level data on reactions to, perceptions of, and hypothetical behaviors in response to added-sugars menu label designs).