ObesityNCT06596564
Using Nudge Strategies to Promote Healthier Beverage Intake Among College Students
A study testing choice architecture in people with Obesity and Food Selection, run by Nanjing Medical University at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
The primary objective of this study was to examine whether four nudging strategies influence beverage consumption behavior among Chinese university students. These interventions included sugar content information, health warning messages, hedonic labeling, and default option nudge. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Obesity, Food Selection
- What is being tested?
- choice architecture
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1,658 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 1 Jan 2026to 9 May 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- college students
- willing to participate
Who cannot join
- None
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: A Study on Nudge Interventions to Promote Changes in Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Behaviors Among College Students
The primary objective of this study was to examine whether four nudging strategies influence beverage consumption behavior among Chinese university students. These interventions included sugar content information, health warning messages, hedonic labeling, and default option nudge. A between-subjects experimental design with a single factor was employed to assess the effects of these strategies on students' choices between sugar-sweetened and sugar-free beverages, thereby evaluating their effectiveness in promoting healthier beverage selections.
Read the detailed description
As the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and chronic diseases continues to escalate, excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has emerged as a growing public health concern globally. One approach to reducing beverage intake while conserving resources is the utilization of nudge strategies. Nudge strategies, characterized by their low cost and ease of implementation, facilitate individuals in making more accurate and beneficial choices in a predictable manner, through subtle interventions that do not prohibit any options or significantly alter incentives. This nudge experiment will be conducted in a classroom setting, where participants will be randomly assigned to one of five groups for beverage selection, completing a menu-based choice task: a no-nudge control group, a default option group, a hedonic labeling group, a sugar content information group, and a health warning nudge group.
- Conditions
- Obesity, Food Selection
- Being tested
- choice architecture
- Medical subject headings
- Obesity, Food Preferences
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
choice architectureBehavioural
Display the sugar content of the drink on the platform.
choice architectureBehavioural
Showing the various harms that can come from long-term excessive consumption of sugary beverages on the platform.
choice architectureBehavioural
The platform shows the hedonic information about sugar-free beverages.
choice architectureBehavioural
The sugar-free option was preselected as the default.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | In this group, no nudge interventions were implemented, only data were collected. |
| choice architecture (Sugar Content Information) | Experimental | Students are exposed to information about the sugar content of sugar-sweetened beverages on the Questionnaire Star platform to "nudge" students towards healthier choices Receives: Behavioral: choice architecture |
| choice architecture (health warning Information) | Experimental | The platform presented information outlining the potential health risks associated with excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. Receives: Behavioral: choice architecture |
| choice architecture (hedonic label Information) | Experimental | Students are exposed to hedonic information about sugar-free beverages on the Wenjuanxing platform to "nudge" students towards healthier choices Receives: Behavioral: choice architecture |
| choice architecture (default option) | Experimental | Setting sugar-free options as the default to "nudge" students towards healthier choices. Receives: Behavioral: choice architecture |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
The proportion (or likelihood) of selecting sugar-free beverages
The probability of choosing a sugar-free beverage (binary outcome: sugar-sweetened = 0, sugar-free = 1) across five menu-selection tasks.
Measured: day 1
Secondary outcomes (3)
Participants' Perceived Intrusiveness of Nudges
A 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) was employed. Higher scores indicate greater perceived intrusiveness.
Measured: day 1
Participants' Support for Nudges
A 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) was employed. Higher scores indicate greater support for the nudging strategy
Measured: day 1
Participants' Perceived effectiveness of Nudges
A 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 5 = strongly agree) was employed. Higher scores indicate greater perceived effectiveness.
Measured: day 1
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Sep 2024
- Study start1 Jan 2026
- Primary completion9 May 2026
- Study completion9 May 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for ObesityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Nanjing Medical UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 1,658 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Nanjing Medical University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Yuan He, Nanjing Medical University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06596564
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2023-SR-052
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Sep 2024
- Last updated
- 13 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 13 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Study on Nudge Interventions to Promote Changes in Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption Behaviors Among College Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06596564
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2023-SR-052
- Conditions
- Obesity, Food Selection
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 1,658 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Nanjing Medical UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 9 May 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 9 May 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 19 Sep 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The primary objective of this study was to examine whether four nudging strategies influence beverage consumption behavior among Chinese university students. These interventions included sugar content information, health warning messages, hedonic labeling, and default option nudge. A between-subjects experimental design with a single factor was employed to assess the effects of these strategies on students' choices between sugar-sweetened and sugar-free beverages, thereby evaluating their effectiveness in promoting healthier beverage selections.
Detailed description
As the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and chronic diseases continues to escalate, excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) has emerged as a growing public health concern globally. One approach to reducing beverage intake while conserving resources is the utilization of nudge strategies. Nudge strategies, characterized by their low cost and ease of implementation, facilitate individuals in making more accurate and beneficial choices in a predictable manner, through subtle interventions that do not prohibit any options or significantly alter incentives. This nudge experiment will be conducted in a classroom setting, where participants will be randomly assigned to one of five groups for beverage selection, completing a menu-based choice task: a no-nudge control group, a default option group, a hedonic labeling group, a sugar content information group, and a health warning nudge group.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 5
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | –In this group, no nudge interventions were implemented, only data were collected. |
| choice architecture (Sugar Content Information) | Experimental | Behavioral: choice architectureStudents are exposed to information about the sugar content of sugar-sweetened beverages on the Questionnaire Star platform to "nudge" students towards healthier choices |
| choice architecture (health warning Information) | Experimental | Behavioral: choice architectureThe platform presented information outlining the potential health risks associated with excessive consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. |
| choice architecture (hedonic label Information) | Experimental | Behavioral: choice architectureStudents are exposed to hedonic information about sugar-free beverages on the Wenjuanxing platform to "nudge" students towards healthier choices |
| choice architecture (default option) | Experimental | Behavioral: choice architectureSetting sugar-free options as the default to "nudge" students towards healthier choices. |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- college students
- willing to participate
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- None
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| choice architectureDisplay the sugar content of the drink on the platform. | Behavioural | choice architecture (Sugar Content Information) |
| choice architectureShowing the various harms that can come from long-term excessive consumption of sugary beverages on the platform. | Behavioural | choice architecture (health warning Information) |
| choice architectureThe platform shows the hedonic information about sugar-free beverages. | Behavioural | choice architecture (hedonic label Information) |
| choice architectureThe sugar-free option was preselected as the default. | Behavioural | choice architecture (default option) |
Primary outcome
The proportion (or likelihood) of selecting sugar-free beverages
Time frame: day 1
The probability of choosing a sugar-free beverage (binary outcome: sugar-sweetened = 0, sugar-free = 1) across five menu-selection tasks.
3 secondary outcomes
Participants' Perceived Intrusiveness of Nudges
Time frame: day 1
Participants' Support for Nudges
Time frame: day 1
Participants' Perceived effectiveness of Nudges
Time frame: day 1
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 13 May 2026.
Related trials for Obesity
RecruitingObservational study
Endoscopic Sleeve Gastroplasty (ESG) Prospective Trial for Obesity (EGO-Trial)
Obesity
Active, not recruitingPhase 4
Effects of Sequential Therapy With Mexidol® (Intravenous) and Mexidol® FORTE 250 (Oral) on Functional Brain Activity Assessed by Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Biochemical Parameters in Patients With Chronic Cerebral Ischemia: A Comparison of Patients With and Without Metabolic Disorders
Metabolic Abnormalities, Obesity & Overweight
Recruiting
Exercise Training and Vitamin D Metabolism
Obesity & Overweight, Vitamin D
Recruiting
Metabolic Health, Bones and Nuts During Weight Loss in Adults
Weight Loss, Bone Density
Active, not recruiting
Effect of Probiotics on Insulin Sensitivity in Overweight and Obese Pregnancy
Obesity & Overweight, Gestational Diabetes Mellitus (GDM)
Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing choice architecture in people with Obesity and Food Selection, run by Nanjing Medical University at 1 site in China.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 2 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 13 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in China. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
The proportion (or likelihood) of selecting sugar-free beverages (time frame: day 1). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 13 May 2026.