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Table 2 Characteristics of Participants by App Intervention Group (Traffic Light Label, ‘High in’ Warning Label, Star Rating and Control (NFt))

From: A randomized controlled trial examining consumers’ perceptions and opinions on using different versions of a FoodFlip© smartphone application for delivery of nutrition information

CharacteristicsTraffic Light (n = 475)High in Warning (n = 478)Star Rating (n = 480)Control (NFt) (n = 474)p-value
Number of participants who used the app in each condition475 (95%)478 (95%)480 (96%)474 (96%) 
Age (years) (mean (SD))39 ± 1339 ± 1240 ± 1340 ± 120.71
Gender
 Male213 (45%)220 (46%)225 (47%)242 (51%)0.52
 Female261 (55%)257 (54%)255 (53%)231 (49%)
Ethnicity
 White342 (72%)329 (69%)316 (66%)334 (70%)0.07
 Other132 (28%)141 (29%)153 (32%)130 (27%)
 Not stated1 (0.2%)8 (2%)11 (2%)10 (2%)
Calculated BMI1
 < 18.513 (3%)10 (2%)25 (5%)10 (2%)0.18
 18.5 to 24.9185 (42%)185 (42%)190 (42%)175 (39%)
 25 to 29.9123 (28%)133 (30%)134 (30%)147 (33%)
 > 29.9123 (28%)120 (27%)100 (22%)115 (26%)
 Not stated31 (6%)30 (6%)31 (6%)29 (6%)
Education
 Did not graduate high school12 (2.5%)5 (1%)7 (1.5%)11 (2%)0.54
 High school graduate certificate/equivalent79 (17%)75 (16%)87 (18%)67 (14%)
 Trades certificate/diploma22 (4%)30 (6%)20 (4%)24 (5%)
 Community/technical college or CEGEP123 (26%)124 (26%)127 (27%)122 (26%)
 University (undergraduate degree)168 (35%)189 (40%)184 (38%)180 (38%)
 Post-graduate degree (Master, PhD)70 (15%)54 (11%)54 (11%)68 (14%)
Newest Vital Sign Score (max 6)
 Low (0–1)49 (10%)53 (11%)42 (8%)48 (10%)0.13
 Likely Low (2, 3)58 (12%)46 (10%)73 (15%)72 (15%)
 Adequate (4–6)367 (77%)378 (79%)364 (76%)354 (75%)
Income
 Under $49,999129 (27%)127 (27%)122 (25%)131 (28%)0.04
 $50,000 to $99,999177 (37%)180 (38%)206 (43%)154 (32%)
 Over $100,000132 (28%)129 (27%)120 (25%)161 (34%)
 Don’t know6 (1%)13 (3%)6 (1%)3 (0.6%)
 Refused31 (7%)29 (6%)26 (5%)25 (5%)
  1. Data presented as n (%) unless otherwise indicated. There were no significant differences between intervention groups for age, gender, ethnicity, BMI, education, health literacy score (measured by newest vital sign) and income, where p < 0.01 was considered statistically significant. Body Mass Index1 (BMI) calculated from self-reported height and weight data provided by the participants where underweight (< 18.5), normal weight (18.5 to 24.9), overweight (25 to 29.9) and obese (> 29.9)