Added-sugar warning labels and weight bias
Official title: Impacts of Prolonged Exposure to Added Sugar Warning Labels on Explicit Weight Bias: a Randomized Controlled Trial
Run by University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill · NCT07346001 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This test sees if added-sugar warning labels on sugary drinks change weight bias and beliefs about who is responsible for body weight among adults who regularly buy sugary drinks.
Quick facts
| Study type | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 543 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Chapel Hill, North Carolina) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 16, 2026 |
| Main results expected | December 2027 |
| Study ends | December 2027 |
| Registry record updated | April 16, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07346001 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults 18 and older who have purchased a sugar-sweetened beverage at least once in the past week and who can attend four weekly in-person visits in Chapel Hill, NC are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People who do not buy sugary drinks, are under 18, cannot travel to the study site, or whose attitudes are not influenced by label messaging are unlikely to benefit.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Researchers will randomize about 543 adults (18+) who bought a sugary drink in the past week to see either neutral control labels or added-sugar warning labels on sugar-sweetened beverages in an experimental store. Participants will complete four in-person visits about one week apart, during which they will shop for beverages in the store and complete computer surveys. Explicit weight bias and attributions of responsibility for body weight are measured at the first and last visits. The design compares changes over time between the label and control groups to determine whether warning labels affect bias and attributional judgments.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could reduce stigma by lowering explicit weight bias and changing how people attribute responsibility for body weight.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research shows warning labels can change purchasing and health perceptions, but using them specifically to reduce explicit weight bias and change attributional judgments is largely untested.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years and older * Bought sugary drinks from a store at least once during the past week * Willing to attend 4 in-person study appointments Exclusion Criteria: • Living in the same household as someone else in the study
Where it's running
-
UNC MiniMart Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Aline D'Angelo Campos, PhD, MPP — University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Aline D'Angelo Campos, PhD, MPP
- Email: adangelo-campos@unc.edu
- Phone: 9199663215
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.