Trial Outcomes & Findings for Promoting Resilience to Food Commercials Decreases Susceptibility to Unhealthy Food Decision-Making (NCT NCT04905498)

NCT ID: NCT04905498

Last Updated: 2023-03-30

Results Overview

Children rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1-Strong No, 2-No, 3-Yes, 4-Strong Yes) about whether they would choose to eat 60 different foods (30 unhealthy, 30 healthy) on a computer program. Higher values for unhealthy foods represented unhealthier food choices and higher values for healthy foods represented healthier food choices. The mean scores for unhealthy food choices were compared between pre- and post-intervention, and the mean scores for healthy food choices were compared between pre- and post-intervention.

Recruitment status

COMPLETED

Study phase

NA

Target enrollment

49 participants

Primary outcome timeframe

Pre (day 0) and post intervention (day 7-10).

Results posted on

2023-03-30

Participant Flow

Participant milestones

Participant milestones
Measure
Control
Children were exposed to food commercials without narratives. Control: Children were shown food commercials that were the same length as the other group but did not receive any information about whether the content was truthful.
Intervention
Children were exposed to narrative statements that were shown and read aloud in between commercials played. Commercial Advertising Literacy Training: Children were shown food commercials and in between those commercials they saw and heard statements such as "These foods won't make you happy" and "Those foods are so unhealthy."
Overall Study
STARTED
19
30
Overall Study
COMPLETED
18
28
Overall Study
NOT COMPLETED
1
2

Reasons for withdrawal

Reasons for withdrawal
Measure
Control
Children were exposed to food commercials without narratives. Control: Children were shown food commercials that were the same length as the other group but did not receive any information about whether the content was truthful.
Intervention
Children were exposed to narrative statements that were shown and read aloud in between commercials played. Commercial Advertising Literacy Training: Children were shown food commercials and in between those commercials they saw and heard statements such as "These foods won't make you happy" and "Those foods are so unhealthy."
Overall Study
Lost to Follow-up
0
2
Overall Study
COVID lockdown
1
0

Baseline Characteristics

Promoting Resilience to Food Commercials Decreases Susceptibility to Unhealthy Food Decision-Making

Baseline characteristics by cohort

Baseline characteristics by cohort
Measure
Control
n=19 Participants
Children were exposed to food commercials without narratives. Control: Children were shown food commercials that were the same length as the other group but did not receive any information about whether the content was truthful.
Intervention
n=30 Participants
Children were exposed to narrative statements that were shown and read aloud in between commercials played. Commercial Advertising Literacy Training: Children were shown food commercials and in between those commercials they saw and heard statements such as "These foods won't make you happy" and "Those foods are so unhealthy."
Total
n=49 Participants
Total of all reporting groups
Age, Categorical
<=18 years
19 Participants
n=99 Participants
30 Participants
n=107 Participants
49 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Categorical
Between 18 and 65 years
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Categorical
>=65 years
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Age, Continuous
12.9 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.43 • n=99 Participants
10.06 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.37 • n=107 Participants
10.51 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 1.45 • n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
11 Participants
n=99 Participants
17 Participants
n=107 Participants
28 Participants
n=206 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
8 Participants
n=99 Participants
13 Participants
n=107 Participants
21 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
2 Participants
n=99 Participants
2 Participants
n=107 Participants
4 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
10 Participants
n=99 Participants
18 Participants
n=107 Participants
28 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
7 Participants
n=99 Participants
10 Participants
n=107 Participants
17 Participants
n=206 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants
n=99 Participants
0 Participants
n=107 Participants
0 Participants
n=206 Participants
Region of Enrollment
United States
19 Participants
n=99 Participants
30 Participants
n=107 Participants
49 Participants
n=206 Participants

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Pre (day 0) and post intervention (day 7-10).

Population: The experimenter assigned children to one of two groups using a random assignment of drawing cell numbers pre-assigned for each group.

Children rated on a 4-point Likert scale (1-Strong No, 2-No, 3-Yes, 4-Strong Yes) about whether they would choose to eat 60 different foods (30 unhealthy, 30 healthy) on a computer program. Higher values for unhealthy foods represented unhealthier food choices and higher values for healthy foods represented healthier food choices. The mean scores for unhealthy food choices were compared between pre- and post-intervention, and the mean scores for healthy food choices were compared between pre- and post-intervention.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Control
n=19 Participants
Children were exposed to food commercials without narratives. Control: Children were shown food commercials that were the same length as the other group but did not receive any information about whether the content was truthful. Taste attributes significantly predicted food decisions for both groups.
Intervention
n=30 Participants
Children were exposed to narrative statements that were shown and read aloud in between commercials played. Commercial Advertising Literacy Training: Children were shown food commercials and in between those commercials they saw and heard statements such as "These foods won't make you happy" and "Those foods are so unhealthy."
Food Choice Change
Pre Intervention Unhealthy foods
3.09 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 0.29
3.19 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 0.37
Food Choice Change
Post Intervention Unhealthy foods
3.09 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 0.37
3.07 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 0.48
Food Choice Change
Pre Intervention Healthy foods
2.66 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 0.37
2.83 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 0.39
Food Choice Change
Post Intervention Healthy foods
2.76 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 0.44
2.86 score on a scale
Standard Deviation 0.36

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Pre (day 0) and post intervention (day 7-10).

Population: The experimenter assigned children to one of two groups using a random assignment of drawing cell numbers pre-assigned for each group.

Children rated on a 4 point Likert scale (1-Very Bad, 2-Bad, 3-Good, 4-Very Good) about how tasty 60 different foods (30 unhealthy, 30 healthy) were on a computer program. A regression coefficient (beta) of food taste was estimated at an individual level by fitting a linear regression model where taste and health ratings predicted food choices for each child. Higher estimated regression coefficients represented higher decision weights of food taste attributes in food choices. The mean estimated regression coefficients were compared between pre- and post-intervention.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Control
n=19 Participants
Children were exposed to food commercials without narratives. Control: Children were shown food commercials that were the same length as the other group but did not receive any information about whether the content was truthful. Taste attributes significantly predicted food decisions for both groups.
Intervention
n=30 Participants
Children were exposed to narrative statements that were shown and read aloud in between commercials played. Commercial Advertising Literacy Training: Children were shown food commercials and in between those commercials they saw and heard statements such as "These foods won't make you happy" and "Those foods are so unhealthy."
Food Tastiness Change
Pre Intervention
0.68 beta coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.22
0.75 beta coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.34
Food Tastiness Change
Post Intervention
0.57 beta coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.28
0.59 beta coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.27

PRIMARY outcome

Timeframe: Pre (day 0) and post intervention (day 7-10).

Population: The experimenter assigned children to one of two groups using a random assignment of drawing cell numbers pre-assigned for each group.

Children rated on a 4 point Likert scale (1-Very Unhealthy, 2-Unhealthy, 3-Healthy, 4-Very Healthy) about how healthy 60 different foods (30 unhealthy, 30 healthy) were on a computer program. A regression coefficient (beta) of food healthiness was estimated at an individual level by fitting a linear regression model where taste and health ratings predicted food choices for each child. Higher estimated regression coefficients represented higher decision weights of food healthiness attributes in food choices. The mean estimated regression coefficients were compared between pre- and post-intervention.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Control
n=19 Participants
Children were exposed to food commercials without narratives. Control: Children were shown food commercials that were the same length as the other group but did not receive any information about whether the content was truthful. Taste attributes significantly predicted food decisions for both groups.
Intervention
n=30 Participants
Children were exposed to narrative statements that were shown and read aloud in between commercials played. Commercial Advertising Literacy Training: Children were shown food commercials and in between those commercials they saw and heard statements such as "These foods won't make you happy" and "Those foods are so unhealthy."
Food Health Change
Pre Intervention
0.003 beta coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.19
0.02 beta coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.24
Food Health Change
Post Intervention
-0.01 beta coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.17
0.01 beta coefficient
Standard Deviation 0.16

SECONDARY outcome

Timeframe: Children completed this item at the baseline visit (pre intervention).

Population: The experimenter assigned children to one of two groups using a random assignment of drawing cell numbers pre-assigned for each group.

Children completed the 36-item self-control scale. Each item is rated on a 5-point Likert scale from 1 (not at all like me) to 5 (very much like me). A total score (i.e., 36 response scores were summed) was computed for each child. The total score ranged between 36 (minimum) and 180 (maximum). The higher total score represented higher (better) perceived self-control. No subscales were used.

Outcome measures

Outcome measures
Measure
Control
n=19 Participants
Children were exposed to food commercials without narratives. Control: Children were shown food commercials that were the same length as the other group but did not receive any information about whether the content was truthful. Taste attributes significantly predicted food decisions for both groups.
Intervention
n=30 Participants
Children were exposed to narrative statements that were shown and read aloud in between commercials played. Commercial Advertising Literacy Training: Children were shown food commercials and in between those commercials they saw and heard statements such as "These foods won't make you happy" and "Those foods are so unhealthy."
Level of Self-Control, as Measured by the Self-Control Scale
125.89 scores on a scale
Standard Deviation 17.01
125.00 scores on a scale
Standard Deviation 14.75

Adverse Events

Control

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Intervention

Serious events: 0 serious events
Other events: 0 other events
Deaths: 0 deaths

Serious adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Other adverse events

Adverse event data not reported

Additional Information

Amanda S. Bruce

University of Kansas Medical Center

Phone: 4014990576

Results disclosure agreements

  • Principal investigator is a sponsor employee
  • Publication restrictions are in place