Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy Study
Abstract Objective: Front-of-package warning labels introduced in Mexico in 2020 included disclaimers that caution against allowing children to consume products with non-sugary sweeteners and caffeine. We examined the awareness and use of the disclaimers among Mexican adults and youth 1 month afte...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Cambridge University Press
2023-12-01
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| Series: | Public Health Nutrition |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980023002100/type/journal_article |
| _version_ | 1827578954556375040 |
|---|---|
| author | Laura Patricia Arellano-Gómez Alejandra Jáuregui Claudia Nieto Alejandra Contreras-Manzano Kathia Larissa Quevedo Christine M White James F Thrasher Rachel E Davis David Hammond Simón Barquera |
| author_facet | Laura Patricia Arellano-Gómez Alejandra Jáuregui Claudia Nieto Alejandra Contreras-Manzano Kathia Larissa Quevedo Christine M White James F Thrasher Rachel E Davis David Hammond Simón Barquera |
| author_sort | Laura Patricia Arellano-Gómez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description |
Abstract
Objective:
Front-of-package warning labels introduced in Mexico in 2020 included disclaimers that caution against allowing children to consume products with non-sugary sweeteners and caffeine. We examined the awareness and use of the disclaimers among Mexican adults and youth 1 month after the regulation was implemented. We also investigated their impact on the perceived healthfulness of industrialised beverages designed for children.
Design:
Data on the awareness and use of the disclaimers were analysed. Two between-subjects experiments examined the effect of a sweetener disclaimer (Experiment 1, youth and adults) or a caffeine disclaimer (Experiment 2, only adults) on the perceived healthfulness of industrialised beverages. Interactions between experimental conditions and demographic characteristics were tested.
Setting:
Online survey in 2020.
Participants:
Mexican adults (≥18 years, n 2108) and youth (10–17 years, n 1790).
Results:
Most participants (>80 %) had seen the disclaimers at least rarely, and over 60 % used them sometimes or frequently. The sweetener disclaimer led to a lower perceived healthfulness of a fruit drink (adults: 2·74 ± 1·44; youth: 2·04 ± 0·96) compared with the no-disclaimer condition (adults: 3·17 ± 1·54; youth: 2·32 ± 0·96) (t’s: >4·0, P values: <0·001). This effect was larger among older adults and male youth. The caffeine disclaimer did not affect adult’s perceived healthfulness of a caffeinated drink (t = 0·861, P value = 0·3894).
Conclusions:
There were high awareness and use of the sweeteners and caffeine disclaimers shortly after the warning labels were implemented. The sweetener disclaimer appears to be helping consumers modify their perceptions regarding industrialised beverages for children. Findings may help decision-makers improve the regulation and better target communication strategies.
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| first_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:54:50Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3321e168937a45f59bbc8785e1eccfce |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1368-9800 1475-2727 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-08T21:54:50Z |
| publishDate | 2023-12-01 |
| publisher | Cambridge University Press |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Public Health Nutrition |
| spelling | doaj.art-3321e168937a45f59bbc8785e1eccfce2023-12-20T02:26:58ZengCambridge University PressPublic Health Nutrition1368-98001475-27272023-12-01263278329010.1017/S1368980023002100Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy StudyLaura Patricia Arellano-Gómez0https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1619-5968Alejandra Jáuregui1https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9158-2007Claudia Nieto2Alejandra Contreras-Manzano3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1576-5922Kathia Larissa Quevedo4Christine M White5James F Thrasher6Rachel E Davis7David Hammond8Simón Barquera9Center for Research on Nutrition and Health, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655 Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, 62100, Mexico Department of Psychology, Education and Health, Nutrition and Food Sciences, ITESO Jesuit University of Guadalajara, Guadalajara, MexicoCenter for Research on Nutrition and Health, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655 Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, 62100, MexicoCenter for Research on Nutrition and Health, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655 Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, 62100, MexicoCenter for Research on Nutrition and Health, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655 Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, 62100, Mexico National Council for Science and Technology (CONACYT), Mexico City, MexicoCenter for Research on Nutrition and Health, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655 Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, 62100, MexicoSchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CanadaDepartment of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USA Center for Population Health Research, National Institute of Public Health, Cuernavaca, MexicoDepartment of Health Promotion, Education and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, USASchool of Public Health Sciences, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, CanadaCenter for Research on Nutrition and Health, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Av. Universidad 655 Col. Santa María Ahuacatitlán, Cuernavaca, 62100, Mexico Abstract Objective: Front-of-package warning labels introduced in Mexico in 2020 included disclaimers that caution against allowing children to consume products with non-sugary sweeteners and caffeine. We examined the awareness and use of the disclaimers among Mexican adults and youth 1 month after the regulation was implemented. We also investigated their impact on the perceived healthfulness of industrialised beverages designed for children. Design: Data on the awareness and use of the disclaimers were analysed. Two between-subjects experiments examined the effect of a sweetener disclaimer (Experiment 1, youth and adults) or a caffeine disclaimer (Experiment 2, only adults) on the perceived healthfulness of industrialised beverages. Interactions between experimental conditions and demographic characteristics were tested. Setting: Online survey in 2020. Participants: Mexican adults (≥18 years, n 2108) and youth (10–17 years, n 1790). Results: Most participants (>80 %) had seen the disclaimers at least rarely, and over 60 % used them sometimes or frequently. The sweetener disclaimer led to a lower perceived healthfulness of a fruit drink (adults: 2·74 ± 1·44; youth: 2·04 ± 0·96) compared with the no-disclaimer condition (adults: 3·17 ± 1·54; youth: 2·32 ± 0·96) (t’s: >4·0, P values: <0·001). This effect was larger among older adults and male youth. The caffeine disclaimer did not affect adult’s perceived healthfulness of a caffeinated drink (t = 0·861, P value = 0·3894). Conclusions: There were high awareness and use of the sweeteners and caffeine disclaimers shortly after the warning labels were implemented. The sweetener disclaimer appears to be helping consumers modify their perceptions regarding industrialised beverages for children. Findings may help decision-makers improve the regulation and better target communication strategies. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980023002100/type/journal_articleWarning labellingSugar-sweetened beveragesHealthfulness perceptionCaffeineNon-sugary sweeteners |
| spellingShingle | Laura Patricia Arellano-Gómez Alejandra Jáuregui Claudia Nieto Alejandra Contreras-Manzano Kathia Larissa Quevedo Christine M White James F Thrasher Rachel E Davis David Hammond Simón Barquera Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy Study Public Health Nutrition Warning labelling Sugar-sweetened beverages Healthfulness perception Caffeine Non-sugary sweeteners |
| title | Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy Study |
| title_full | Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy Study |
| title_fullStr | Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy Study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy Study |
| title_short | Effects of front-of-package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in Mexico: cross-sectional results from the 2020 International Food Policy Study |
| title_sort | effects of front of package caffeine and sweetener disclaimers in mexico cross sectional results from the 2020 international food policy study |
| topic | Warning labelling Sugar-sweetened beverages Healthfulness perception Caffeine Non-sugary sweeteners |
| url | https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S1368980023002100/type/journal_article |
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