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Session: Environmental and Behavioral Influences on Nutritional Health (Poster Theater Flash Session 9)

(PTFS09-01-23) Effects of a Front-of-Package Disclosure on Accuracy in Assessing Children’s Drink Ingredients. Two Randomized Controlled Experiments With Caregivers of Young Children

Monday, July 24, 2023
2:05 PM – 2:09 PM ET
Location:  Fairfax

    Presenting Author(s)

  • Haley Gershman, MS, RDN

    Research Assistant
    Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut
    Hartford, Connecticut, United States

    Disclosure(s): No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

    • Co-Author(s)

  • FF

    Frances Fleming-Milici, PhD

    Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health at University of Connecticut
    Hartford, Connecticut, United States

  • JP

    Jennifer Pomeranz, JD, MPH

    School of Global Public Health, New York University

  • JH

    Jennifer L. Harris, PhD, MBA

    Associate Professor
    Rudd Center for Food Policy and Health, University of Connecticut
    Hartford, Connecticut, United States

Disclosure(s):
Haley Gershman, MS, RDN: No relevant financial relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.
Objectives: Test effects of a standardized front-of-package (FOP) disclosure statement on accuracy in assessing ingredients and perceived healthfulness of sweetened and unsweetened children’s drinks.

Methods: Online survey of 648 U.S. caregivers of young children (1-5). In two randomized controlled experiments, participants viewed children’s drink packages and indicated if products contained added sugar or non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) and percent juice and rated drink healthfulness. Experiment 1 (E1) included novel children’s drinks with either a) product claims only (control); b) disclosure only; or c) claims and disclosure. Experiment 2 (E2) included existing children’s drinks with a) no disclosure (control); or b) disclosure. Products in both experiments included two sweetened (fruit drink and flavored water) and two unsweetened (100% juice and juice/water blend) drinks. Potential individual differences were explored.

Results: FOP disclosures significantly increased accuracy for most ingredients and drink types, including identifying presence or absence of NNS in sweetened drinks, no added sugar in juice/water blends, and actual percent juice in fruit drinks and juice/water blends in both experiments. Disclosures also increased recognition that the novel 100% juice did not contain NNS or added sugar (E1) and existing sweetened drinks contained added sugar (E2). Additionally, the disclosure reduced perceived healthfulness of sweetened drinks, but did not increase unsweetened drink healthfulness ratings. We identified a few differences by participant education level and race/ethnicity, but disclosures remained effective across groups.

Conclusions: FOP disclosures on children’s drink packages can increase caregivers’ understanding of product ingredients and aid in selecting healthier children’s drinks.

Funding Sources: Healthy Eating Research, a national program of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation