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

BACKGROUND: 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. OBJECTIVES: This research aimed to assess support by demographic and health-related characteristics for an added-sugar menu-labeling policy. METHODS: 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). RESULTS: 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%). CONCLUSIONS: 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.