Nutrition-Related Claims Lead Parents to Choose Less Healthy Drinks for Young Children: A Randomized Trial in a Virtual Convenience Store

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Citation

Hall, Marissa G.; Lazard, Allison J.; Higgins, Isabella C. A.; Blitstein, Jonathan L.; Duffy, Emily W.; Greenthal, Eva; Sorscher, Sarah; & Taillie, Lindsey Smith (2022). Nutrition-Related Claims Lead Parents to Choose Less Healthy Drinks for Young Children: A Randomized Trial in a Virtual Convenience Store. American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 115(4), 1144-1154. PMCID: PMC8971006

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, including fruit drinks (i.e., fruit-flavored drinks containing added sugar), contributes to childhood obesity.
OBJECTIVES: We aimed to examine whether nutrition-related claims on fruit drinks influence purchasing among parents and lead to misperceptions of healthfulness.
METHODS: We conducted an experiment in a virtual convenience store with 2218 parents of children ages 1-5. Parents were randomly assigned to view fruit drinks displaying one of three claims ("No artificial sweeteners," "100% Vitamin C," and "100% All Natural") or no claim (i.e., control group). Parents selected among each of two drinks for their young child: 1) a fruit drink or 100% juice (primary outcome), and 2) a fruit drink or water.
RESULTS: When choosing between a fruit drink and 100% juice, 45% of parents who viewed the fruit drink with the "No artificial sweeteners" claim, 51% who viewed the "100% Vitamin C" claim, and 54% who viewed the "100% All Natural" claim selected the fruit drink, compared with 32% in the no-claim control group (all P < 0.001). "No artificial sweeteners" (Cohen's d = 0.14, P < 0.05) and "100% All Natural" (d = 0.15, P < 0.05) claims increased the likelihood of parents choosing the fruit drink instead of water but "100% Vitamin C" did not (P = 0.059). All claims made parents more likely to incorrectly believe that the fruit drinks contained no added sugar and were 100% juice compared to the control (d ranged from 0.26-0.84, all P < 0.001), as assessed in a post-test survey. The impact of claims on selection of the fruit drink (versus 100% juice) did not vary by any of the moderators examined (e.g., race/ethnicity, income; all moderation P > 0.057).
CONCLUSIONS: Nutrition-related claims led parents to choose less healthy beverages for their children and misled them about the healthfulness of fruit drinks. Labeling regulations could mitigate misleading marketing of fruit drinks.

URL

http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/nqac008

Reference Type

Journal Article

Year Published

2022

Journal Title

American Journal of Clinical Nutrition

Author(s)

Hall, Marissa G.
Lazard, Allison J.
Higgins, Isabella C. A.
Blitstein, Jonathan L.
Duffy, Emily W.
Greenthal, Eva
Sorscher, Sarah
Taillie, Lindsey Smith

Article Type

Regular

PMCID

PMC8971006

Continent/Country

United States of America

State

Nonspecific

ORCiD

Taillie - 0000-0002-4555-2525
Duffy - 0000-0003-0981-1291
Higgins - 0000-0003-0241-2378
Hall - 0000-0002-8690-9498