Tempted by Christmas treats? Study reveals sugar content labels are ineffective in curbing holiday cravings

As the holiday season begins, many people look to nutritional labels to make healthier food choices, hoping to avoid the typical seasonal weight gain.

Sunita Iyer

First Published Dec 25, 2024, 6:00 AM IST | Last Updated Dec 25, 2024, 6:00 AM IST

As the holiday season begins, many people look to nutritional labels to make healthier food choices, hoping to avoid the typical seasonal weight gain. However, a new study published in Acta Psychologica reveals that nutritional information, especially sugar content labels, may not be as effective as previously thought—particularly when it comes to sugary, festive foods.

Researchers from the University of Würzburg conducted an innovative experiment using mobile eye-tracking glasses to observe how individuals respond to food choices during the Christmas season. Their findings challenge the assumption that highlighting sugar content will influence people to opt for healthier, lower-sugar alternatives. The study reveals that festive, sugar-rich foods not only attract more attention but are also more desirable than their sugar-free counterparts, even when the sugar content is explicitly labeled.

The Study's Design: A Festive Buffet of Choices

The study involved 58 participants, aged 17 to 49, who celebrated Christmas and had a normal body mass index. Each participant wore eye-tracking glasses while viewing a buffet table featuring a variety of items. The buffet included six different items: four cookies (some with sugar and others sugar-free), and two non-food items (Christmas and birthday gift-wrapped presents). Each item was labeled with either a sugar content indication or a Christmas association.

Participants were asked to examine the buffet for two minutes while their gaze patterns were recorded. They then rated their liking and wanting of each item and completed a follow-up decision task, where they chose between a high-calorie gingerbread cookie and a low-calorie clementine. The eye-tracking data included measures like the total time spent focusing on each item, the duration of specific fixations, and the frequency of those fixations.

Sugar-Rich Festive Treats Steal the Spotlight

The results were telling: Christmas-themed items, whether food or non-food, garnered more attention than their non-festive counterparts. Christmas-themed cookies, in particular, held participants' gaze longer than non-Christmas cookies. Even more surprisingly, the cookies labeled as containing sugar received greater attention than the sugar-free varieties. Participants spent more time examining sugary Christmas cookies, signaling a heightened interest in these indulgent options.

When participants rated the items, they expressed a stronger preference for the sugar-containing cookies, especially those associated with Christmas. Sugar-free cookies, on the other hand, were rated lower in terms of both desirability and liking, even when they shared the same festive theme. Eye-tracking patterns also suggested that participants were more critical of sugar-free options, with shorter, more frequent fixations, often associated with evaluating something less favorable.

Tempted by Christmas treats? Study reveals sugar content labels are ineffective in curbing holiday cravings snt

Health Consciousness Doesn't Alter Preferences

Interestingly, participants' self-reported health consciousness did not correlate with their food preferences or gaze patterns. Even those who typically prioritized health in their food choices still showed a preference for sugary, festive treats. When given the choice between a gingerbread cookie (high in calories) and a low-calorie clementine, many participants opted for the gingerbread cookie, reinforcing the allure of indulgent holiday sweets despite health considerations.

The findings indicate that during the holiday season, the cultural and emotional context surrounding Christmas food—often linked to celebrations and traditions—may override the impact of nutritional information on decision-making. Sugar-rich treats, especially those that evoke festive memories, are simply more visually and emotionally appealing than their healthier counterparts.

Limitations and Future Directions

While the study provides valuable insights into how nutritional labels interact with our food choices, it is not without limitations. The sample size was relatively small, with most participants being young adults with normal body mass indexes. Additionally, the study used a limited selection of foods and non-food items, focusing on cookies and Christmas-themed presents. Future studies could expand the range of stimuli to include a broader variety of foods and contexts, providing a more comprehensive understanding of how nutritional information influences real-world food choices.

“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 researchers said.

The study, titled "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, and underscores the complexity of holiday food choices in our modern, festive world.

For more reliable and latest news

subscribe to Asianet Newsable WhatsApp channel by clicking here.