Using Reinforcement Schedules to Increase Fruit&Vegetable Intake, Reduce Waste, and Increase School Lunch Participation

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Nutrition; Behavioral Changes; Psychology, Social
• Interventions: Behavioral: Variable (non-random) interval; Behavioral: Variable (random) interval; Behavioral: Control; Behavioral: Variable (random) interval with table tents

• Registration Number: NCT05633251
• Lead Sponsor: New Mexico State University

Brief Summary

Using small monetary rewards to reinforce healthy behaviors, such as the consumption of fruits and vegetables (F\&V), the investigators tested fixed and variable reinforcement schedules in three middle schools.

The investigators measured carotenoid levels, as a biomarker of F\&V intake, and F\&V waste over the intervention time frame. The investigators also tracked the school lunch participation rates over time.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-09-14
• Primary Completion: 2016-05-06
• Study Completion: 2016-05-06
• Study First Submitted: 2020-12-27
• Status Verified: 2022-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2022-11-28
• Last Update Submitted: 2022-11-28
• Study First Posted: 2022-12-01
• Last Update Posted: 2022-12-01

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 1626

Inclusion Criteria

• students attending three participating middle schools (Ysleta Independent School District)

Exclusion Criteria

• N/A

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
School 2	Control	-
School 1	Control	-
School 3	Variable (random) interval with table tents	-
School 1	Variable (non-random) interval	-
School 2	Variable (random) interval	-
School 3	Variable (random) interval	-

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in fruit and vegetable intake	12 weeks	As measured by carotenoid level, a biomarker for total fruit and vegetable intake; measured before and after the intervention
Change in food waste	24 weeks	Daily fruit, vegetable, and other food waste (in lbs)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
School lunch participation rates	32 weeks	Number of participants in the school lunch program

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Ysleta Independent School District; 🇺🇸 El Paso, Texas, United States