ObesityNCT07625969
Using Single and Combined 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 three nudging strategies influence beverage consumption behavior among Chinese university students. These interventions included health warning messages, hedonic labeling, and a combination of health warning and hedonic labeling. 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
- 1,000 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 2 Jul 2026to 30 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
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. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Nanjing Medical University
Nanjing, Jiangsu, 210000
About this study
The primary objective of this study was to examine whether three nudging strategies influence beverage consumption behavior among Chinese university students. These interventions included health warning messages, hedonic labeling, and a combination of health warning and hedonic labeling. 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 study will be conducted in a classroom setting, where participants will be randomly assigned to one of four groups: a no-nudge control group, a health warning group, a hedonic labeling group, and a combined health warning plus hedonic labeling 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
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 platform shows both hedonic information about sugar-free beverages and information on the various harms of long-term excessive sugary beverage consumption.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control | No intervention | In this group, no nudge interventions were implemented, only data were collected. |
| 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 (hedonic label Information+health warning Information) | Experimental | Students receive both health-risk messages about sugary drinks and hedonic information about sugar-free beverages on the Wenjuanxing platform, combining two nudging strategies to promote 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 posted4 Jun 2026
- Study start2 Jul 2026
- Primary completion30 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jul 2026 (estimated)
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.
- 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
- 1,000 participants (estimated)
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
- NCT07625969
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2023 - SR - 052
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 29 May 2026
- Last updated
- 7 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No