Effects of Pictorial Warnings on Parents’ Purchases and Perceptions of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Categories

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Citation

D'Angelo Campos, Aline; Taillie, Lindsey Smith; Vatavuk-Serrati, Gabriela; Grummon, Anna H.; Higgins, Isabella C. A.; & Hall, Marissa G. (2023). Effects of Pictorial Warnings on Parents’ Purchases and Perceptions of Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Categories. Pediatric Obesity, 18(7), e13030. PMCID: PMC10687846

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption remains high among US children. Warning labels on SSBs hold promise for reducing consumption, but their impact may differ by SSB category.
OBJECTIVES: This study examined the effects of pictorial warnings on parents' beverage purchases and perceptions across SSB categories.
METHODS: Parents of children ages 2-12 (n = 326) visited a convenience store laboratory in North Carolina. Participants were randomly assigned to see SSBs carrying either pictorial warning labels or control labels. Parents purchased a beverage for their child and completed a survey.
RESULTS: Responses from parents in the control arm suggest underlying perceptions of flavoured milk (2.8 on scale ranging from 1 to 5), flavoured water (2.6), and fruit-flavoured drinks (2.5) as the most healthful SSB categories. Compared to the control, pictorial warnings led to the largest reductions in purchases of fruit drinks (-61%), soda (-36%) and flavoured milk (-32%). Warnings also lowered the perceived healthfulness of flavoured water (d = -0.34), flavoured milk (d = -0.28), sports drinks (d = -0.25), and a reduction in intentions to give one's child sports drinks (d = -0.30), flavoured water (d = -0.24) and sweet tea (d = -0.22, all p < 0.05).
CONCLUSIONS: Warning labels may have heterogeneous effects across SSB categories. Future research should assess the psychological mechanisms underlying these heterogeneous effects.

URL

https://doi.org/10.1111/ijpo.13030

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2023

Journal Title

Pediatric Obesity

Author(s)

D'Angelo Campos, Aline
Taillie, Lindsey Smith
Vatavuk-Serrati, Gabriela
Grummon, Anna H.
Higgins, Isabella C. A.
Hall, Marissa G.

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC10687846

Continent/Country

United States of America

State

North Carolina

ORCiD

Higgins - 0000-0003-0241-2378
Taillie - 0000-0002-4555-2525