Do sugar content labels help us make healthier choices during the holidays? A study in Acta Psychologica found that they might not. Using mobile eye-tracking glasses, researchers found that festive, sugar-rich foods are more visually captivating and desirable than their sugar-free counterparts, even when nutritional labels highlight their sugar content. These findings suggest that simply labeling food as “sugar-free” may not effectively curb cravings during this indulgent time of year.
The holiday season is a time of celebration, but it is also marked by overindulgence in sugary and high-calorie foods, leading to seasonal weight gain. With high-sugar foods prominently featured in festive traditions, people often struggle to resist their cravings. Nutritional labeling, intended to guide healthier food choices, has been widely adopted, but its effectiveness remains unclear. Previous studies suggest that sugar content labels may even increase cravings for some individuals.
The researchers aimed to explore whether sugar labels influence visual attention and preferences in a real-world setting. By focusing on Christmas-themed treats, the study also sought to understand whether the festive context amplifies the appeal of sugary foods, thereby making them harder to resist.
The study involved 58 participants aged 17 to 49 years, most of whom had a normal body mass index and celebrated Christmas. Participants wore mobile eye-tracking glasses while viewing a buffet table featuring six items: four cookies (with and without sugar, and with or without Christmas associations) and two non-food items (gift-wrapped presents labeled as Christmas or birthday presents). Each item was accompanied by a label indicating its sugar content or association with Christmas.
Participants viewed the buffet for two minutes while their gaze patterns were recorded. Afterward, they rated their liking and wanting of each item and provided information about their dietary preferences. At the end of the session, they were offered a choice between a high-calorie gingerbread cookie and a low-calorie clementine to assess their food preferences further.
Eye-tracking data analyzed included total fixation duration (how long participants looked at each item), mean fixation duration (the average time spent on specific details), and the number of fixations (how many details participants examined). The researchers also examined how health-conscious participants were based on their dietary preferences.
The results showed that Christmas-associated items, both food and non-food, drew more attention than their non-Christmas counterparts. Participants spent more time looking at Christmas-themed cookies and presents, suggesting that festive associations increase the visual appeal of these items. Among the cookies, those labeled as containing sugar received longer gaze durations than their sugar-free counterparts.
Participants also rated sugar-containing cookies as more desirable than sugar-free alternatives. This preference was particularly strong for Christmas-themed cookies, which were rated higher in both liking and wanting compared to non-festive cookies. The sugar-free cookies were less favored, even when they had a Christmas association.
Eye-tracking data indicated that sugar-free cookies were viewed with a more critical inspection pattern, characterized by shorter but more frequent fixations. This pattern is often associated with evaluating negative or less-preferred items, suggesting that participants scrutinized sugar-free cookies more to assess their acceptability as substitutes for sugary treats.
Surprisingly, participants’ self-reported health consciousness did not significantly correlate with their gaze behavior or preferences. Even those who prioritized health in their dietary choices showed a strong preference for sugar-containing cookies over sugar-free alternatives.
Importantly, when given a choice between a high-calorie gingerbread cookie and a low-calorie clementine, many participants opted for the gingerbread cookie, reinforcing the findings that sugary, festive treats are more appealing despite health considerations.
While the study provides valuable insights, it has limitations. The small sample size and relatively homogenous group (predominantly young adults with normal body mass index) limit the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the study only used a limited selection of items, such as cookies and presents. Expanding the range of stimuli to include other types of food and non-food items could provide a more comprehensive understanding of visual attention biases.
“Despite these limitations, it is worth highlighting that the present study represents the first investigation into the effects of sugar content information on gaze behavior when viewing real foods,” the researchers concluded. “This study serves as a valuable foundation for future research to build upon. Subsequent studies should involve larger and more diverse samples, as well as include a wider range of stimuli, to expand the understanding of real-world food perception.”
“In summary, particularly during the Christmas season, exclusively emphasizing the nutritional value of foods might yield outcomes contrary to the intended goals. Approaches aiming to prevent holiday-related weight gain should thus adopt a multifaceted perspective, avoiding exclusive fixation on the sugar content of Christmas treats.”
The study, “Cookie cravings – Examining the impact of sugar content information on Christmas treat preferences via mobile eye-tracking,” was authored by Jonas Potthoff, Christina Herrmann, and Anne Schienle.