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Using Video Gaming to Evaluate Front of Pack Labeling With Children

NCT03482336 · Status: COMPLETED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 80

Last updated 2018-03-29

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Regulated nutrition information is complex, using decimal places and percentages. Front of pack (FOP) labels provide simplified nutrition information on the front of packages. It has been suggested that the traditional approach to nutrition labeling is difficult for children to use; this is unfortunate as childhood is a critical time for developing long-lasting eating habits and children influence purchase decisions.

Materials and Methods Children aged 6-10 played a video game in which participants fed "Munchy Monster" the healthier of two cereal products presented on a computer screen. Across trials the FOP format varied in a 2 (color/no color) x 2 (facial emotion icon/no facial icon) factorial design. Within a trial both cereals presented the same FOP format, with one cereal healthier than the other.

Results Data suggest that color coding and/or facial icon significantly benefits selection accuracy and speed, particularly for the youngest children. Minimal training (awareness of the FOPs existence and that it might contain nutrition information) further improved accuracy and speed of responses.

Conclusions FOPs that leverage visual indicators assist even young children in assessing the nutritional value of a product.

Conditions

  • Child Obesity

Interventions

OTHER

Four FOP label designs

Color (present and absent) were crossed with facial icon (present and absent) for a total of four FOP label treatments. For each trial, both packages had the same FOP treatment, but one appeared at a "healthy level" while the second "unhealthy." Subjects were asked to choose the healthier option as quickly as possible. Accuracy and speed to correct selection both served as dependent variables.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Principal Investigators

  • Mark Becker, PhD · Michigan State University

Study Design

Allocation
NON_RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
6 Years
Max Age
10 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2016-02-02
Primary Completion
2016-04-12
Completion
2016-04-12

Countries

  • United States

Study Locations

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Entities

Companies

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT03482336 on ClinicalTrials.gov