This Trial Aims to Assess the Effects of Three Different Taste-based Dietary Recommendations for Reducing Free Sugar Intakes on Free Sugar Consumption in UK High Free Sugar Consumers

Not Applicable

Not yet recruiting

• Conditions: Dietary Behavior; Sweet Taste; Free Sugar

• Registration Number: NCT06925932
• Lead Sponsor: Bournemouth University

Brief Summary

This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in UK high free sugar consumers.

Detailed Description

This 12-week, 3-arm randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based food and beverage substitution instructions for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in high free sugar consumers. A total of 180 adult community members residing in Bournemouth and the surrounding areas will be recruited. All participants will be asked to reduce their intakes of free sugar and replace sweet, high-free sugar foods and beverages with either: 1) sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars; 2) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are high in other tasty flavours; and 3) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are also low in other flavours. The primary outcome of interest is the changes in free sugar intakes from baseline to endpoint. Secondary outcomes include a range of dietary and biopsychosocial outcomes, sweet taste perceptions and sweet food and beverage intakes, as well as compliance with and evaluation of the dietary recommendation received.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Study First Submitted: 2025-04-07
• Study Start: 2025-04-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2025-04-11
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-04-11
• Study First Posted: 2025-04-13
• Last Update Posted: 2025-04-13
• Primary Completion: 2026-12-31
• Study Completion: 2028-12-31

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: NOT_YET_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 180

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age 18 and over
2. Consuming more than 10% total daily energy from free sugars (-3% for testing error)
3. Residing in the South of England, and able to attend Bournemouth University for testing (Talbot Campus, BH12 5BB)
4. Able to provide consent and complete all study-related measures

Exclusion Criteria

1. Being a smoker or having smoked in the last 3 months
2. Being pregnant or breastfeeding
3. Being underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²)
4. Dieting or following a specific diet program (e.g., Weight Watchers, Keto diet, or Intermittent Fasting)
5. Following a specific diet or nutritional advice as a result of pre-existing medical condition (e.g., Crohn's disease, diabetes)
6. Having a pre-existing medical condition or taking medication that could affect taste and/or smell abilities (e.g., certain blood pressure and heart medications)
7. Allergies to foods and drinks used in the study

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Free sugar intakes	Baseline to week 12	Percentage total energy intake (%TEI) from free sugars, measured using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls.
Adherence	week 3 to week 12	Adherence with the dietary advice received will be assessed by self-report using online surveys.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Energy intake and diet composition	Baseline to week 12	Energy intake and nutrient composition of dietary intakes, measured using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls.
Body weight	Baseline to week 12	Weight, in kilograms, assessed using standard digital scales.
Waist circumference	Baseline to week 12	Waist circumference, in centimeters, measured using standard flexible tape measure.
Body fat percentage	Baseline to week 12	Body fat percentage assessed using a bioimpedance scale.
Body mass index	Baseline to week 12	Body mass index assessed using a standard kg/m2 measurement.
Fasted blood glucose	Baseline to week 12	Fasted blood glucose (min 8h fast), in millimoles per litre, assessed using a prick-a-finger method and a blood glucose monitor.
Sweet attitudes	Baseline to week 12	Attitudes toward sugars, sweeteners, and sweet foods will be assessed using the Sweet Talk Questionnaire (Tang et al., 2024) in six domains. The higher the score in a given domain, the more prevalent the attitude.
Self-reported quality of life	Baseline to week 12	Physical and psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey (SF-36; Ware et al., 1993). Higher scores indicate greater quality of life.
Attitudes towards eating	Baseline to week 12	General attitudes towards eating will be assessed using the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ; Strien et al., 1986) in three domains. The higher the score in a given domain, the more prevalent the behaviour.
Adverse events	Baseline to week 12	Adverse events will be assessed via self-report.
Sweet food and beverage preferences	Baseline to week 12	Preferences for sweet foods and beverages will be assessed using a taste perception test. Participants will taste commercially available several sweet and non-sweet foods and beverages and indicate how pleasant these are and how much they desire to eat these using 0-100 visual analogue scales. Higher scores indicate greater pleasantness and desire to eat.
Sweet food and beverage perceptions	Baseline to week 12	Preferences of the sweet taste intensity will be assessed using a taste perception test. Participants will taste several commercially available sweet and non-sweet foods and beverages and indicate their sweetness intensity using 0-100 visual analogue scales. Higher scores indicate greater perceived sweetness intensity.
Sweet food and beverage choice	Baseline to week 12	Sweet food and beverage choice will be assessed using a breakfast meal. A wide selection of commercially available sweet and non-sweet breakfast foods and beverages will be presented, with participants free to choose what and how much they consume. Sweet food and beverage choices will be measured as the weight consumed during the breakfast meal. A take-home beverage will also be offered from a selection of sweet and non-sweet beverages with the choice recorded.
Dietary advice evaluation	week 3 to week 12	Evaluation of and perceptions of the dietary advice received will be assessed by self-report using online surveys.
Dietary knowledge	Baseline to week 12	Knowledge of dietary and sugar recommendations will be assessed via self-report using an online questionnaire.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Bournemouth University; 🇬🇧 Bournemouth, United Kingdom