An interventional study of Exposure to counter-marketing messages and Exposure to traditional health messages in Obesity, Weight Prejudice and Weight Gain, sponsored by Stanford University. Completed at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2024-02-28.
Sponsored by Stanford University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Prevention
This study aims to examine consumer responses to traditional and counter-marketing messages discouraging sugary drink consumption, including effects on intentions to consume sugary drinks and perceived weight stigma. Because prior research has suggested that counter-marketing may be especially effective among younger populations, the investigators will examine effects overall and by age group (young adults [ages 18-29 years] vs. middle and older adults [ages 30+ years]).
In this online randomized clinical trial, participants will be randomized to one of three arms: 1) Control (neutral) messages, 2) Traditional health messages, and 3) Counter-marketing messages. In each arm, participants will view four messages developed for their randomly assigned arm and answer questions about the messages and their behavioral intentions.
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Exclusion Criteria:
Participants will view control messages approximately matched to the intervention messages on length, but discussing a neutral topic unrelated to sugary drinks (safe driving). Participants will view a total of 4 messages developed for this arm.
Behavioral: Exposure to control (neutral) messages
Participants will view traditional health messages focused on the health consequences of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, using text adapted from prior sugary drink campaigns. Participants will view a total of 4 messages developed for this arm.
Behavioral: Exposure to traditional health messages
Participants will view counter-marketing messages about sugary drinks that incorporate principles of effective counter-marketing campaigns, including describing industry manipulation of consumers, appealing to emotions (especially anger), describing health consequences, and criticizing the industry for demographic targeting. Messages include text adapted from prior counter-marketing campaigns. Participants will view a total of 4 messages developed for this arm.
Behavioral: Exposure to counter-marketing messages
Counter-marketing messages about sugary drinks that incorporate principles of effective counter-marketing campaigns, including describing industry manipulation of consumers, appealing to emotions (especially anger), describing health consequences, and criticizing the industry for demographic targeting. Messages include text adapted from prior counter-marketing campaigns. Participants will view a total of 4 messages developed for this arm.
Traditional health messages focused on the health consequences of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, using text adapted from prior sugary drink campaigns. Participants will view a total of 4 messages developed for this arm.
Control messages approximately matched to the intervention messages on length, but discussing a neutral topic unrelated to sugary drinks (safe driving). Participants will view a total of 4 messages developed for this arm.
Intentions to consume sugary drinks
We will assess intentions to consume sugary drinks using 2 items: "In the next week, I plan to drink sugary drinks like sodas, sports drinks, or fruit drinks," and "In the next week, I am likely to drink sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, sports drinks, or fruit drinks". Response options to both items will use a 5-point Likert scale: the first item's response options will range from "definitely not" (1) to "definitely yes" (5), and the second item's response options will range from "not at all likely" (1) to "extremely likely" (5). We will average responses to the 2 items.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Perceived message effectiveness for discouraging sugary drink consumption
Item: "These messages discourage me from wanting to drink sugary drinks." This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "not at all" (1) to "a great deal" (5).
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Negative feelings toward drinking sugary drinks
Item: "How do these messages make you feel about drinking sugary drinks?" This variable will be measured on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from "extremely positive" (1) to "extremely negative" (5).
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Anticipated social interactions
We will examine anticipated social interactions by asking, "How likely are you to talk about these messages with others in the next week?" This item will be scored on a 5-pt Likert scale ranging from "not at all likely" (1) to "extremely likely" (5).
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Attitudes toward sugary drink companies
We will examine attitudes toward sugary drink companies by asking, "How do you feel about companies that make sugary drinks?" This item will be scored on a 5-pt Likert scale ranging from "dislike them a lot" (1) to "like them a lot" (5).
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Perceived obesity stigma
We will examine the extent to which participants perceive the messages as contributing to obesity stigma by asking 3 items: "These messages promote negative attitudes about people who have overweight or obesity," "These messages increase blame towards people for being overweight," and "These messages make obesity seem like a much simpler issue than it really is." Each item will be scored on a 5-point Likert scale from "not at all" (1) to "a great deal" (5). We will average responses to these items.
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Message reactance
We will examine psychological reactance to the messages by asking 3 items: "These messages are trying to manipulate me," "These messages are overblown" and "How much do these messages make you feel angry?" Each item will be scored on a 5-point Likert scale from "not at all" (1) to "a great deal" (5). We will average responses to these items, assuming sufficient internal consistency (alpha\>=.70).
Time frame: The survey will take up to 20 minutes
Plan to share: Yes — The investigators will share statistical analysis plan and analytic code after publication. The investigators will post these items and de-identified data on ResearchBox, a publicly available platform.
Supporting information: Sap, Analytic code
This study is completed, as verified in Feb 2024. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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