Registered DietitianNCT06697171

Effectiveness of Conflict-of-interest Disclosures on Trust, Credibility and Transparency When Displayed on Social Media Posts From Registered Dietitians

A study testing Group 1 Not an ad disclosure, Group 2 Basic Disclosure and Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure in people with Registered Dietitian and Conflict of Interest, run by University of Ontario Institute of Technology at 1 site in Canada.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record

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Trial summary

Who is it for?: Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for: Registered Dietitian, Conflict of Interest, Trust
What is being tested?: Group 1 Not an ad disclosure, Group 2 Basic Disclosure and Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure
Could I receive a placebo?: No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people: 3,409 participants
Where: 1 siteCanada
Study dates: 28 Oct 2024to 24 Nov 2024
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 18 years and older
All sexes
Healthy volunteers accepted
Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

Participants are included if:
are ≥18 years
own a computer,
have an email address
speak/write in English/French

Who cannot join

None listed.

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

Canada1 site

University of Ontario Institute of Technology
Oshawa, Ontario, L1G 0C5

Other trials in Canada

About this study

Official title: The Comparative Effectiveness of Different Conflict-of-interest Disclosures Displayed on Social Media Posts by Registered Dietitians on Public Transparency, Trust and Purchasing Intentions: A Randomized Controlled Experiment

There is limited research to inform policies and guidelines related to disclosing conflicts of interest on social media by healthcare professionals, including Registered Dietitians (RDs). This trial investigates mock social media posts by an RD to examine the impact of varying forms of conflict-of-interest (COI) disclosures. The disclosures tested are based on the Canadian Ad Standards "Influencer Marketing Disclosure Guidelines" and are incorporated into recommendations established by the provincial dietetic regulatory bodies for RDs. Specific outcomes evaluated include the public's ability to identify a COI; trust in the RD; credibility of the RD; transparency of the social media post and; purchasing and consumption intentions of the product endorsed by an RD in the post.

Read the detailed description

This study is a randomized controlled experiment embedded within an online cross-sectional survey entitled the Canadian Nutrition and Health Survey (CNHS). A sample of 3,380 Canadian adults from all Canadian provinces (ages ≥18 years, who own a computer, and have an email address) will be recruited by Leger Marketing Inc. as part of the CNHS. Participants will be randomized to one of five experimental groups that include a mock social media post with different variations of COI reporting, based on the Ad Standards (of Canada) Influencer Marketing Disclosure Guidelines. Each participant will be randomized to view one version (group) of the mock Instagram post, all of which feature the same RD promoting the nutritional benefits of a mock soy milk product. Participants will also have the opportunity to view the RD's Instagram account profile, which is consistent across all experimental groups. All participants will have as much time as needed to view the post and account profile.

As stated previously, the experimental groups vary by the extent to which the conflict of interest is reported (see below):

Group 1 Not an ad disclosure: COI disclosure includes @brandname and #NotAnAd in the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 2 Basic Disclosure: COI disclosure includes @brandname and #ad in the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure: COI disclosure accompanied by a branded "paid partnership" in the header and a tag for the industry partner, @brandname and #ad immediately at the beginning of the post, and #ad and #sponsored at the bottom of the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image label: COI disclosure includes the same characteristics as Group 3, with the addition of #ad appearing on the post image itself.
Group 5 Control group: is a control with no COI disclosure elements (i.e. no hashtags and only the @brandname included within the narrative body of the social media post).

The primary outcome is the ability of a participant to identify if COI disclosures exist within the social media post. The secondary outcomes include participants' trust in the RD in the social media post, credibility of the RD in the social media post, participants' buying and consumption intentions, and transparency of COI reporting by the RD. Tertiary outcomes include the participants' recommendation of the food item endorsed by the RD to others, participants' engagement with the social media post, and participants' view of the healthfulness of a product endorsed by the RD.

It is hypothesized that, compared to the control condition, participants will rate all experimental conditions as having a conflict of interest. The experimental conditions will be rated more transparent and trustworthy, with the RD in the social media post being rated as more credible, and with greater purchasing/consumption intentions.

Conditions: Registered Dietitian, Conflict of Interest, Trust, Credibility, Transparency
Being tested: Group 1 Not an ad disclosure, Group 2 Basic Disclosure, Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure, Control, Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image label
Keywords: Registered Dietitian, Conflict of Interest

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Group 1 Not an ad disclosureOther
Same social media post viewed as all other groups. @brandname in the narrative body of the social media post; #NotAnAd in the narrative body of the social media post
Group 2 Basic DisclosureOther
Same social media post viewed as all other groups. @brandname in the narrative body of the social media post; #ad in the narrative body of the social media post
Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership DisclosureOther
Same social media post viewed as all other groups. COI disclosures include "paid partnership" in the header and a tag for the industry partner; @brandname and #ad immediately at the beginning of the narrative body of the social media post;
#ad and #sponsored at the bottom of the narrative body of the social media post.
ControlOther
No COI disclosure elements (i.e. no hashtags ). Only the @brandname is included within the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image labelOther
Same social media post viewed as all other groups. COI disclosures include "paid partnership" in the header and a tag for the industry partner; @brandname and #ad immediately at the beginning of the narrative body of the social media post; #ad and #sponsored at the bottom of the narrative body of the social media post; #ad (black text, white background) appears on the photo associated with the social media post

Study groups in NCT06697171
Study group	Role	What they receive
Control	Active comparator	No COI Disclosure (Control). Only @brandname is tagged in the social media post narrative body. Receives: Other: Control
Group 1 Not an Ad Disclosure	Experimental	Disclosure includes @brandname and #NotAnAd in the social media post narrative body. Receives: Other: Group 1 Not an ad disclosure
Group 2 Basic Disclosure	Experimental	Disclosure includes @brandname and #ad in the narrative body of the social media post. Receives: Other: Group 2 Basic Disclosure
Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure	Experimental	Disclosure includes a branded "paid partnership" in the header and a tag for the industry partner, @brandname and #ad immediately at the beginning of the post, and #ad and #sponsored at the bottom of the narrative body of the social media post. Receives: Other: Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure
Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image label	Experimental	Disclosure includes the same attributes as Group 3, with the addition of #ad appearing on the post image itself. Receives: Other: Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image label

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

Conflict of Interest
Participant identification of COI will be:
- Assessed by the statement "I believe the person in the post has a conflict of interest"
- Evaluated on a 5-point Likert Scale from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5). There is no "not applicable" option.
Measured: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post

Secondary outcomes (5)

Trust
•Trust of the RDs post will be:
- Assessed by the statements "I trust the person in this post" and "I believe the post is true". This is also assessed using an open-ended question.
- Evaluated on a 5-point Likert Scale from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5). There is no "not applicable" option.
Measured: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Credibility
- The RD's credibility will be:
- Assessed by the statement "The person in this post is qualified to provide this information".
- Evaluated on a 5-point Likert Scale from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5). There is no "not applicable" option.
Measured: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Purchasing Intentions
- The participants' purchasing intentions of a product after viewing the post will be:
- Assessed by the statement: How likely you would "Buy the food item in the post" and "I am more likely to buy a product if a Registered Dietitian has endorsed it" (both will be reviewed separately)
- Evaluated on a 5-point Likert Scale from Very Unlikely (1) to Very Likely (5). There is no "not applicable" option.
Measured: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Consumption Intentions
- The participants' consumption intentions of a product after seeing the RDs post will be:
- Assessed by the statement: How likely you would "Consume the food item in the post"
- Evaluated on a 5-point Likert Scale from Very Unlikely (1) to Very Likely (5). There is no "not applicable" option.
Measured: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Transparency
- Transparency of the RDs post will be:
- Assessed by the statement "The food item is being endorsed"
- Evaluated on a 5-point Likert Scale from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5). There is no "not applicable" option.
Measured: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

28 Oct 202424 Nov 2024

First posted20 Nov 2024
Study start28 Oct 2024
Primary completion24 Nov 2024
Study completion24 Nov 2024

Resources

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
Other trials for Registered DietitianStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
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: Other
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Double blind
Who is masked: Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment: 3,409 participants (actual)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06697171
Sponsor's protocol ID: 17546
Status last verified: Aug 2025
First submitted: 13 Nov 2024
Last updated: 6 Aug 2025
Results posted: No
Data monitoring committee: No
FDA-regulated drug: No
FDA-regulated device: No
Individual data sharing: Undecided

Want to know more?

The sponsor has not listed a contact. The official record may have more details.

Talk to your doctor first and take this page with you. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

Questions to ask the study team

What is the study trying to find out?
What would I need to do, and how often would I visit?
Could I receive a placebo instead of the treatment?
What are the possible risks and benefits for me?
Will it cost me anything? Are travel or time paid for?
Can I keep seeing my own doctor during the study?
What happens when the study ends?

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Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 6 Aug 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: The Comparative Effectiveness of Different Conflict-of-interest Disclosures Displayed on Social Media Posts by Registered Dietitians on Public Transparency, Trust and Purchasing Intentions: A Randomized Controlled Experiment
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT06697171
Acronym / sponsor ID: 17546
Conditions: Registered Dietitian, Conflict of Interest, Trust, Credibility, Transparency
Keywords: Registered Dietitian, Conflict of Interest
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: Completed
Enrolment: 3,409 participants (actual)
Lead sponsor: University of Ontario Institute of TechnologyUniversity, hospital or other
Study start: 28 Oct 2024 (actual)
Primary completion: 24 Nov 2024 (actual)
Study completion: 24 Nov 2024 (actual)
First posted: 20 Nov 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.

Detailed description

As stated previously, the experimental groups vary by the extent to which the conflict of interest is reported (see below):

Group 1 Not an ad disclosure: COI disclosure includes @brandname and #NotAnAd in the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 2 Basic Disclosure: COI disclosure includes @brandname and #ad in the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure: COI disclosure accompanied by a branded "paid partnership" in the header and a tag for the industry partner, @brandname and #ad immediately at the beginning of the post, and #ad and #sponsored at the bottom of the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image label: COI disclosure includes the same characteristics as Group 3, with the addition of #ad appearing on the post image itself.
Group 5 Control group: is a control with no COI disclosure elements (i.e. no hashtags and only the @brandname included within the narrative body of the social media post).

Study design

Primary purpose: Other
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: Double blind (participant, outcomes assessor)
Number of arms: 5

Arm	Type	Receives
Control	Active comparator	Other: ControlNo COI Disclosure (Control). Only @brandname is tagged in the social media post narrative body.
Group 1 Not an Ad Disclosure	Experimental	Other: Group 1 Not an ad disclosureDisclosure includes @brandname and #NotAnAd in the social media post narrative body.
Group 2 Basic Disclosure	Experimental	Other: Group 2 Basic DisclosureDisclosure includes @brandname and #ad in the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure	Experimental	Other: Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership DisclosureDisclosure includes a branded "paid partnership" in the header and a tag for the industry partner, @brandname and #ad immediately at the beginning of the post, and #ad and #sponsored at the bottom of the narrative body of the social media post.
Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image label	Experimental	Other: Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image labelDisclosure includes the same attributes as Group 3, with the addition of #ad appearing on the post image itself.

Who may qualify

Ages: 18 years and older
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Accepted
Age groups: Adult, Older adult

Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)

are ≥18 years
own a computer,
have an email address
speak/write in English/French

Key exclusion criteria (0 listed)

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
Group 1 Not an ad disclosureSame social media post viewed as all other groups. @brandname in the narrative body of the social media post; #NotAnAd in the narrative body of the social media post	Other	Group 1 Not an Ad Disclosure
Group 2 Basic DisclosureSame social media post viewed as all other groups. @brandname in the narrative body of the social media post; #ad in the narrative body of the social media post	Other	Group 2 Basic Disclosure
Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership DisclosureSame social media post viewed as all other groups. COI disclosures include "paid partnership" in the header and a tag for the industry partner; @brandname and #ad immediately at the beginning of the narrative body of the social media post; #ad and #sponsored at the bottom of the narrative body of the social media post.	Other	Group 3 Basic + Paid Partnership Disclosure
ControlNo COI disclosure elements (i.e. no hashtags ). Only the @brandname is included within the narrative body of the social media post.	Other	Control
Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image labelSame social media post viewed as all other groups. COI disclosures include "paid partnership" in the header and a tag for the industry partner; @brandname and #ad immediately at the beginning of the narrative body of the social media post; #ad and #sponsored at the bottom of the narrative body of the social media post; #ad (black text, white background) appears on the photo associated with the social media post	Other	Group 4 Basic + Paid Partnership + Image label

Primary outcome

Conflict of Interest
Time frame: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Participant identification of COI will be: * Assessed by the statement "I believe the person in the post has a conflict of interest" * Evaluated on a 5-point Likert Scale from Strongly Disagree (1) to Strongly Agree (5). There is no "not applicable" option.

5 secondary outcomes

Trust
Time frame: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Credibility
Time frame: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Purchasing Intentions
Time frame: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Consumption Intentions
Time frame: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post
Transparency
Time frame: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post

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 6 Aug 2025.
Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided

Related trials for Registered Dietitian

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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?

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 5 inclusion and 0 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 6 Aug 2025. 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 Canada. 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?

Conflict of Interest (time frame: Measured after 5-10 minutes of exposure to the social media post). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06697171.

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 6 Aug 2025.