Abstract
AimsTo investigate the impact of unit and calorie information on drinking behaviour in an ad libitum taste test paradigm.MethodsIn this experimental human laboratory study, participants were randomized to one of four conditions, balanced by gender, using a 2 (unit information: present vs. absent) × 2 (calorie information: present vs. absent) between-subjects design. The percentage of beer consumed during the taste test was the primary outcome measure.ResultsAmong this largely undergraduate student population, we found no evidence that either unit or calorie information impacted alcohol consumption in an ad libitum taste test. A manipulation check indicated that few of the participants receiving either unit and/or calorie information could accurately recall the number of units and/or calories in the beverages provided to them, indicating low levels of engagement with this information. Analysis of qualitative reactions to calorie and unit labelling indicated possible negative unintended consequences of calorie and unit information, including using unit information to facilitate consumption of higher strength beverages, and calorie information to reduce food consumption prior to a drinking episode.ConclusionWe find no evidence to support an effect of unit or calorie information, a public-health initiative supported by the alcohol industry, on drinking behaviour. It is possible that compulsory unit and calorie labelling, at least in the numeric format used here, would have no effect on alcohol intake and may even have some negative unintended consequences among certain populations.
Highlights
In 2016, 30% of adults in the UK reported consuming more than 4 units of alcohol if male and 3 units if female on their heaviest drinking day in the past week (Office for National Statistics, 2017)
We find no evidence to support an effect of unit or calorie information, a publichealth initiative supported by the alcohol industry, on drinking behaviour
This may be problematic among young people; a recent review suggested over 20% of university students in the UK and Ireland exceed weekly sensible drinking limits (Davoren et al, 2016)
Summary
In 2016, 30% of adults in the UK reported consuming more than 4 units of alcohol if male and 3 units if female on their heaviest drinking day in the past week (Office for National Statistics, 2017). Given evidence in support of calorie labelling for food and non-alcoholic beverages being an effective strategy for encouraging healthier diets (Campos, Doxey & Hammond, 2011), providing calorie information on alcohol products may be an effective method of reducing alcohol consumption. This may occur by encouraging drinkers to switch from higher calorie/higher strength beverages to lower calorie/lower strength beverages, or encouraging drinkers to consume less overall. Calorie information may have negative unintended consequences Those who are motivated to drink and limit their calorie intake may reduce food consumption prior to drinking. The ad libitum taste test procedure has good construct validity, with alcohol intake during the taste test correlated with self-reported typical alcohol consumption (Robinson et al, 2017)
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