In January of 2023, when Health Canada came out with new alcohol guidelines that were a stark change from previous recommendations, it left some Canadians shocked.
St. Francis Xavier University's Dr. Kara Thompson, a psychology professor, is leading a team comprised of scientists from the fields of psychology, public health, nutritional science, and marketing, to study the effectiveness of alcohol warning labels in a real-world setting. "Alcoholic beverages have been classified as a Group 1 carcinogen and are a leading risk factor for cancer," says Dr. Thompson, "however, public awareness about the health risks associated with alcohol consumption remains low."
She says health warning labels are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a mechanism for increasing consumer knowledge about the negative consequences of alcohol. "Few real-world studies have tested the effectiveness of alcohol labels. Labels have largely been developed by researchers without stakeholder consultation and have been tested online or in laboratory settings. This interdisciplinary partnership seeks to overcome some of the barriers that are impeding the implementation of alcohol labels in Canada," Dr. Thompson says.
Dr. Thompson has proposed to work with a local craft brewery to co-create labels that inform consumers of standard drink information and Canada's new guidance on alcohol and health that was released by Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction in January (2023).
By working with community-based craft brewers, she hopes to develop labels that help consumers make more informed decisions about their alcohol use. "Craft breweries are an important part of small communities and help shape the culture around alcohol. They care deeply about their consumers and are mindful of how current decisions influence future business. By working with community-based craft brewers, we hope to develop labels that help consumers make more informed decisions about their alcohol use."
Dr. Thompson's project represents a great example of how StFX research contributes to health and wellness, but also represents a partnership that can contribute to corporate social responsibility.
Dr. Thompson, who is also the coordinator of the StFX Interdisciplinary Health program, received almost $240,000 in funding from the federal government's New Frontiers in Research Funding Exploration competition. These grants fund Canadian-led interdisciplinary high-risk and high-reward research projects.
The Canadian Alcohol Policy Evaluation (CAPE) is an ongoing research project that provides rigorous assessments of how well provincial, territorial and the federal government in Canada is implementing policies proven to reduce harm from alcohol use. Dr. Thompson is a part of this along with several other researchers from across Canada.
