The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial
The rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases has brought attention to the importance of consuming a healthy diet. One strategy to improve diet quality is through front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels. Taking advantage of an online grocery store, we allowed consumers to choose the FOP labels the...
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doaj-5fe1766fe80e491187c47564099082f92020-11-25T03:01:35ZengMDPI AGNutrients2072-66432020-07-01122158215810.3390/nu12072158The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled TrialSoye Shin0Rob M. van Dam1Eric A. Finkelstein2Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, SingaporeSaw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117549, SingaporeProgram in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore 169857, SingaporeThe rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases has brought attention to the importance of consuming a healthy diet. One strategy to improve diet quality is through front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels. Taking advantage of an online grocery store, we allowed consumers to choose the FOP labels they preferred, and combined this information with real-time feedback on the overall nutritional quality of the shopping basket. We hypothesized that these dynamic food labels with real-time feedback (DFLF) would improve nutritional quality of food purchases. This trial followed a two-arm (no-label control and DFLF) crossover design with 125 participants exposed to each condition once in random order via an online grocery store. A first difference regression model allowed for estimating the unbiased effect of the DFLF on diet quality, measured by the weighted average Nutri-Score (ranging 1 to 5) per serving (primary) and changes in select nutrients and calories. The mean weighted Nutri-Score was 0.4 (12.6%) higher in the DFLF arm (CI: [0.2, 0.6]) relative to the control. The DFLF also decreased the amount of sugar per serving by 0.9 g (CI: [−1.7, −0.0]) and total sugar per shop by 169.5 g (CI: [−284.5, −54.5]). The DFLF features significantly improved nutrition quality relative to no labelling, as measured by average Nutri-Score values. These results shed light on the considerable potential of the online shopping environment to improve diet quality through customization and real time feedback.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/2158front-of-pack labelingnutrition labelingdiet qualitydynamic labelsreal-time feedbackonline grocery store |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Soye Shin Rob M. van Dam Eric A. Finkelstein |
spellingShingle |
Soye Shin Rob M. van Dam Eric A. Finkelstein The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial Nutrients front-of-pack labeling nutrition labeling diet quality dynamic labels real-time feedback online grocery store |
author_facet |
Soye Shin Rob M. van Dam Eric A. Finkelstein |
author_sort |
Soye Shin |
title |
The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial |
title_short |
The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial |
title_full |
The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial |
title_fullStr |
The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial |
title_full_unstemmed |
The Effect of Dynamic Food Labels with Real-Time Feedback on Diet Quality: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial |
title_sort |
effect of dynamic food labels with real-time feedback on diet quality: results from a randomized controlled trial |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Nutrients |
issn |
2072-6643 |
publishDate |
2020-07-01 |
description |
The rising prevalence of non-communicable diseases has brought attention to the importance of consuming a healthy diet. One strategy to improve diet quality is through front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labels. Taking advantage of an online grocery store, we allowed consumers to choose the FOP labels they preferred, and combined this information with real-time feedback on the overall nutritional quality of the shopping basket. We hypothesized that these dynamic food labels with real-time feedback (DFLF) would improve nutritional quality of food purchases. This trial followed a two-arm (no-label control and DFLF) crossover design with 125 participants exposed to each condition once in random order via an online grocery store. A first difference regression model allowed for estimating the unbiased effect of the DFLF on diet quality, measured by the weighted average Nutri-Score (ranging 1 to 5) per serving (primary) and changes in select nutrients and calories. The mean weighted Nutri-Score was 0.4 (12.6%) higher in the DFLF arm (CI: [0.2, 0.6]) relative to the control. The DFLF also decreased the amount of sugar per serving by 0.9 g (CI: [−1.7, −0.0]) and total sugar per shop by 169.5 g (CI: [−284.5, −54.5]). The DFLF features significantly improved nutrition quality relative to no labelling, as measured by average Nutri-Score values. These results shed light on the considerable potential of the online shopping environment to improve diet quality through customization and real time feedback. |
topic |
front-of-pack labeling nutrition labeling diet quality dynamic labels real-time feedback online grocery store |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/12/7/2158 |
work_keys_str_mv |
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