To assess U.S. parents’ perceptions of the healthfulness and safety of non-sugar sweeteners (NSS) and examine their views of NSS front-of-package labels (FOPLs).
Design
Cross-sectional online survey conducted in August 2024.
Setting
National online survey distributed to U.S. parents through a research panel platform.
Participants
A total of 1047 parents of children aged 2-12 years.
Methods
The questionnaire assessed perceptions of NSS compared with added sugars, confidence in identifying NSS, and evaluations of proposed FOPL formats. Descriptive statistics and were used to summarize all responses. Stratified analyses were conducted by demographic and health characteristics to examine differences in views across five hypothetical NSS FOPL formats.
Results
Most parents viewed NSS as helpful for reducing sugar intake for themselves (82%) and their child (58%), with 52% preferring NSS-containing products over those high in added sugars. While 79.8% and 61.4% considered occasional NSS use safe for adults and children, respectively, only 21.9% viewed daily use as safe for children. Natural NSS were perceived as safer than artificial (60.5% vs 26.6%). Nearly all parents (92.6%) indicated that an NSS FOPL would facilitate product identification, and 76.3% supported mandatory labeling, particularly a yellow triangle stating “Not recommended for children.” The preference for this FOPL was consistent among participants of different demographic and health characteristics.
Conclusion
Parents acknowledged potential benefits of NSS for sugar reduction but expressed caution about children’s intake, showing strong support for mandatory, child-focused FOPL.
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