Dietary Recommendations for Reducing Free Sugar Intakes
- Conditions
- Dietary Recommendations
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Dietary recommendations
- Registration Number
- NCT04816955
- Lead Sponsor
- Bournemouth University
- Brief Summary
This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the impacts of the current recommendations by Public Health England for reducing free sugar intakes, on total energy intakes of free sugar in a sample of the UK population.
- Detailed Description
The primary objective of this randomised control trial is to assess the impacts of Public Health England's (PHE) current free sugar reducing advice, for reducing total energy intakes (TEI) of free sugar. A total of 240 participants (age 18-65years) consuming diets \>5% total energy intake from dietary free sugars will be recruited from across the Dorset region. Participants to be randomly assigned into the following recommendation interventions groups: 1) Reduce free sugar intake to \<5% TEI (nutrient-based recommendations); 2) Reduce free sugar intake to \<5% TEI, via reducing intake of specific foods identified as high in free sugars (nutrient- + food-based recommendations); 3) Reduce free sugar intake to \<5% TEI, via reducing intake of specific foods identified as high in free sugars and replace/swap with low sugar versions (nutrient- + food-based recommendations with swaps); and 4) Control Group. The primary outcome will be changes in free sugar consumption from baseline to endpoint at week 12. Secondary outcomes include change in: BMI; dietary profiles; sweetness preference; sweetness liking; food choices; low calorie sweetener intakes and adherence levels.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- COMPLETED
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 242
- aged 18-65 years;
- able to provide consent and complete all study materials;
- consuming >5% of TEI from free sugars; and
- residing in the South of England.
Exclusion criteria:
- individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding;
- underweight (BMI <18.5);
- have pre-existing medical conditions affecting swallow ability, taste and smell perception;
- currently or within 3 months of starting the study are following a specific dietary programme (e.g.: Slimming World);
- current smokers or have smoked within 3 months of the study start date;
- have pre-existing clinical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, eating disorders, Crohn's disease and other illness's leading to participants receiving external nutritional advice and dietary restrictions.
Not provided
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Nutrient-based recommendations Dietary recommendations Participants in this group will be given nutrient-based recommendations to reduce free sugar intakes. Nutrient- and food-based recommendations Dietary recommendations Participants in this group will be given nutrient- and food-based recommendations to reduce free sugar intakes. Nutrient- and food-based recommendations with food swaps Dietary recommendations Participants in this group will be given nutrient- and food-based recommendations and advice on food swaps to reduce free sugar intakes. Control Dietary recommendations Participants in this group will not be given any recommendations to reduce free sugar intakes.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Free sugar intakes 12 weeks from baseline Percentage energy intake from free sugars, assessed using diet diaries
Adherence 12 weeks from baseline Adherence to the recommendations provided, assessed using diet diaries and self-reported adherence
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Adverse events Baseline to 12 weeks Adverse events, assessed by self-report
Eating-based motivations Baseline to 12 weeks Motivations towards eating, assessed using the Food Choice Questionnaire (Steptoe et al., Appetite 1995, 25(3): 267-84). Higher scores denote stronger motivations
Quality of Life (subjective wellbeing) Baseline to 12 weeks Quality of Life, measured using the SF-36 questionnaire (Ware et al, 1996), where Quality of Life is assessed out of 100, where a higher score demonstrates better quality of life
Dietary intakes 12 weeks from baseline Nutrient composition of dietary intakes, assessed using diet diaries
BMI 12 weeks from baseline Body Mass Index, assessed using researcher measurements or researcher-observed self-measurements
Eating-based attitudes Baseline to 12 weeks Attitudes towards eating, assessed using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (Karlsson J, et al. IJO 2000; 24: 1715-1725)
Sweet food preferences 12 weeks from baseline Preferences for various sweet foods/fluids, assessed using a taste test, where participants sample several sweet and non-sweet foods and rate them for pleasantness on a 100mm Visual Analogue Scale. Higher scores signify stronger preferences
Sweet food choices 12 weeks from baseline Selection of sweet foods/fluids at a given meal, assessed where participants can consume freely from a meal composed of sweet and non-sweet foods, and proportion of sweet foods consumed is measured in terms of weight consumed
Sweet food attitudes 12 weeks from baseline Attitudes towards sugar, sweeteners, and sweet-tasting foods, assessed using a questionnaire, soon to be published. Higher scores denote stronger attitudes.
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Bournemouth University
🇬🇧Bournemouth, US And Canada Only, United Kingdom