Zhu Xiaole, Miller Caroline, Roberts Rachel, Ettridge Kerry
University of Adelaide School of Psychology, Adelaide, Australia.
University of Adelaide School of Public Health, Adelaide, Australia.
Health Promot J Austr. 2025 Apr;36(2):e70004. doi: 10.1002/hpja.70004.
Effective interventions to reduce energy drink (ED) consumption are needed. This study explored the effect of warning labels on intentions to reduce ED consumption, perceived label effectiveness and protection motivation theory (PMT) constructs.
Australian ED consumers aged 18 to 39 years (N = 343) participated in an experimental online survey, randomly assigned to view one of three ED warning label conditions (weight gain, cardiac effects, no label-control). Intentions to reduce ED consumption, perceived effectiveness of labels and selected PMT constructs were assessed.
Participants reported moderate-high awareness of the health effects of consumption (62.68%) and advisory statements on EDs (69.39%), including daily consumption limits (48.40%). EDs were consumed frequently, with 56.26% regular (at least weekly) consumers and most commonly for functional benefits (e.g., alertness). ED warning labels did not have a statistically significant effect on intentions to reduce consumption. The cardiac label performed better than the weight gain label in 'grabbed attention' (72.97% vs. 55.66%, p = 0.008), with non-significant trends (p > 0.05, absolute differences ≥ 10%) suggesting it was stronger on some other perceived effectiveness measures. Supplementary analyses indicated females in the cardiac condition reported greater intentions to reduce ED consumption than females in the control condition (p = 0.042).
Graphic warning labels and labels warning of cardiac effects are worthy of further exploration as a potential intervention to reduce ED consumption. SO WHAT?: Future research should explore the motivations underlying ED consumption and further explore messages that will resonate with consumers.
需要有效的干预措施来减少能量饮料(ED)的消费。本研究探讨了警示标签对减少能量饮料消费意图、感知标签有效性以及保护动机理论(PMT)构成要素的影响。
18至39岁的澳大利亚能量饮料消费者(N = 343)参与了一项在线实验调查,被随机分配观看三种能量饮料警示标签条件之一(体重增加、心脏影响、无标签 - 对照)。评估了减少能量饮料消费的意图、标签的感知有效性以及选定的PMT构成要素。
参与者报告对消费的健康影响有中度至高度认知(62.68%)以及对能量饮料的咨询声明有认知(69.39%),包括每日消费限量(48.40%)。能量饮料消费频繁,56.26%为经常(至少每周一次)消费者,最常见的消费原因是功能性益处(如警觉性)。能量饮料警示标签对减少消费的意图没有统计学上的显著影响。心脏影响标签在“吸引注意力”方面比体重增加标签表现更好(72.97%对55.66%,p = 0.008),非显著趋势(p > 0.05,绝对差异≥10%)表明在其他一些感知有效性指标上它更强。补充分析表明,处于心脏影响条件下的女性报告的减少能量饮料消费的意图比处于对照条件下的女性更强(p = 0.042)。
图形警示标签和警示心脏影响的标签作为减少能量饮料消费的潜在干预措施值得进一步探索。那又如何?:未来的研究应探索能量饮料消费背后的动机,并进一步探索能引起消费者共鸣的信息。