Support for an Added-Sugar Menu-Labeling Policy among Key United States Population Groups in a Cross-Sectional Sample

Experiments have shown that added-sugar warning labels on restaurant menus reduce the added-sugar content of meal selections. Consequently, New York City mandated the first added-sugar warning labels on chain restaurant menus, and other United States jurisdictions are pursuing similar policies. These policies could be especially beneficial for priority populations at higher risk of diet-related diseases. However, little is known about public support for restaurant added-sugar warning label policies among the populations that might benefit the most from the labels.

This research aimed to assess support by demographic and health-related characteristics for an added-sugar menu-labeling policy.

We assessed support for a policy requiring added-sugar warning labels on restaurant menus among 15,275 United States adults in an online cross-sectional convenience sample recruited to match national sociodemographic distributions. We described and examined differences in support by participant characteristics using bivariate and multivariable regressions (multivariable results described below).

Across all characteristics examined, there was majority support (range: 54%-87%) for a potential added-sugar warning label policy for chain restaurant menus, followed by no opinion (range: 8%-32%) with few opposing (range: 0%-19%). There was significantly higher support among those with prediabetes (82% compared with 71% among those without prediabetes) and those trying to reduce their added-sugar consumption (81% compared with 54%; all P < 0.05). In contrast, individuals with lower compared with higher income (66% compared with 79%) and lower compared with higher educational attainment (67% compared with 78%) showed lower levels of support (all P < 0.05). Some groups had large shares of "no opinion" responses, such as those not trying to reduce added-sugar intake (32%).

Across all subpopulations examined, majority supported an added-sugar warning label policy. Support was higher among those with prediabetes and those trying to reduce their added-sugar consumption. Added-sugar restaurant menu-warning labels are widely supported across groups defined by demographic and health-related characteristics.