Research Description
The majority of adults in the U.S. consume excessive amounts of added sugar, which increases risk of developing type 2 diabetes. As the source of over 1-in-5 calories in the diet, restaurants and other food service venues are important settings for reducing added-sugar intake. However, restaurants are not required to provide consumers information about the amount of added sugar on their menus. Posting added-sugar menu labels next to items high in added sugar is one way to help consumers make informed choices. However, the optimal design for such a label has yet to be determined, and it is unclear how much added sugar items should contain in order to be labeled (e.g., >50% or >100% of the daily recommended limit for added sugar). Furthermore, it is important that populations with varying degrees of education, income, and English proficiency can understand the label, even if there is not enough room on menus for multiple language translations. Therefore, this study will use a series of randomized controlled trials to: (1) identify a noticeable and understandable added-sugar label design for menus, (2) determine the label’s effect on the amount of added sugar ordered from menus with different labeling requirements (>50% vs. 100% of the daily limit), and (3) assess whether a Spanish awareness campaign can increase the understanding of the labels among Hispanic adults with low-to-moderate English proficiency. This study will also examine differences in outcomes by consumer characteristics like education, income, race, ethnicity, and type 2 diabetes diagnosis.Research Profile
What area of diabetes research does your project cover? What role will this particular project play in preventing, treating and/or curing diabetes?This experimental study—which aims to develop and test noticeable added-sugar menu labels for restaurants and community food service venues—is focused on the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. An added-sugar menu labeling system can be translated into community food service settings to provide consumers with a tool to better control their intake of added sugar. Furthermore, the labels would incentivize the reformulation of menu items to contain less added sugar.
If a person with diabetes were to ask you how your project will help them in the future, how would you respond?This project aims to determine the optimal design for restaurant menu labels that would help consumers identify which menu items are high in added sugar. Without a labeling system, consumers cannot tell how much added sugar is in restaurant foods. Many beverages and desserts and some entrees contain more added sugar than the entire daily recommended limit. If our added-sugar menu labels are adopted by restaurants (voluntarily or in response to a policy), they could help you control your intake of added sugar by making it clear which items are higher and lower in added sugar.
Why important for you, personally, to become involved in diabetes research? What role will this award play?Like so many of us, my family has been profoundly impacted by type 2 diabetes. I have witnessed the toll it has taken on my loved ones’ physical and mental health and wellbeing. I have also seen how difficult it is to follow medical advice and manage type 2 diabetes without a supportive food and messaging environment. This is why I am interested in translational research that can create environments supportive of healthy behaviors. This award will help me develop a menu labeling system specific for the restaurant and food service environment that can contribute to type 2 diabetes prevention and management.
In what direction do you see the future of diabetes research going?It is my hope that the field increases its focus on primary prevention of type 2 diabetes in an equitable manner. To do so will require a focus on creating food policies, systems, and environments that are conducive to healthy dietary patterns for everyone.