Sustainable Eating Behaviors and Diet Quality

Completed

• Conditions: Nutrition, Healthy
• Interventions: Behavioral: Observational Tests

• Registration Number: NCT06100666
• Lead Sponsor: Ankara University

Brief Summary

The goal of this observational study is to evaluate the sustainable nutrition behaviors (e.g. not wasting food, consuming organic food) and diet quality of university staff. The main questions it aims to answer are:

* What is the diet quality of the participants?

* Do participants with higher diet quality have better sustainable eating behaviors?

Detailed Description

Sustainable diets are diets with low environmental impacts that contribute to food and nutritional security and healthy living for present and future generations. They are recognized as protective of ecosystems, culturally acceptable, accessible, economically fair and affordable, nutritionally adequate, safe and healthy diets. Sustainable healthy diets ensure optimal growth and development of all individuals, support functionality across all life stages for current and future generations, contribute to the prevention of all forms of malnutrition, reduce the risk of diet-related non-communicable diseases and support the protection of biodiversity and planetary health. Recently, the need to promote nutritious and safe sustainable diets with low environmental impact has been emphasized. Diets based mostly on plant-based foods, such as the Mediterranean diet and the DASH diet, are recognized as sustainable eating models. The aim of this study is to evaluate the sustainable eating behaviors and diet quality based on food consumption of academic and administrative staff working at the university and to determine the relationship between them.

1. How is the diet quality of the university staff?

2. How are the sustainable nutrition behaviors of the university staff?

3. Is there a difference between diet quality groups in terms of sustainable nutrition behaviors?

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2023-10-15
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-10-20
• Study First Posted: 2023-10-25
• Study Start: 2023-11-01
• Primary Completion: 2024-08-15
• Study Completion: 2024-11-15
• Status Verified: 2025-03
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-03-09
• Last Update Posted: 2025-03-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 120

Inclusion Criteria

• Being a staff member of Tarsus University
• Volunteering to participate in the study

Exclusion Criteria

• Pregnancy
• The presence of any known condition that prevents the taking of anthropometric measurements
• Presence of a known memory problem that may prevent receiving 24-hour Recall

Study & Design

• Study Type: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Design: Not specified

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Adults	Observational Tests	Academic and administrative staff working at Tarsus University

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Sustainable and Healthy Eating Behaviors Scale	1 year	It will be used to assess participants' sustainable nutrition behaviors. The Turkish version of the scale consists of 7 factors and 32 Likert-type questions, including Quality Marks (Local and Organic), Seasonal Foods and Avoiding Food Waste, Animal Health, Reducing Meat Consumption, Healthy and Balanced Nutrition, Local Food and Low Fat. Respondents are asked to rate the questions as never, very rarely, rarely, sometimes, often, very often and always. Never=1 point and Always=7 points. There is no intercept value in the evaluation, a high score indicates an increase in sustainable and healthy eating behavior.
Body weight in kilograms	1 year	Body weight measurement will be made with a weighing device sensitive to 0.5 kg.
Height in meters	1 year	A stadiometer will be used to measure height and measurements will be recorded with an accuracy of 0.1 cm. The measurement will be made without shoes, feet together, head in the Frankfurt plane, and head, back, hips, calves and heels in the same plane.
International Diet Quality Index	1 year	To be used to assess diet quality. This index was developed to assess and compare diet quality across countries. It assesses four components of the diet: variety, adequacy, moderation and overall balance. The sum of the scores in these four main categories determines the total score for the index. The total score ranges from 0-100 (0= lowest diet quality, 100= highest diet quality). According to the index total score, a score of 0- ≤45 points is classified as poor diet quality, \>55- ≤60 points as moderate diet quality, and \>75 points as high diet quality.
Waist circumference in centimeters	1 year	Waist circumference will be measured at the midpoint between the lowest rib and the iliac crest using a non-stretchable tape measure. The measurement will be repeated twice and averaged.
Neck circumference in centimeters	1 year	Neck circumference will be measured in the middle of the neck, between the mid-cervical spine and mid-anterior neck, using a non-stretchable tape measure while the participants are standing upright, and recorded with an accuracy of 0.1 cm. In men with a laryngeal protrusion, it will be measured just below the protrusion.
24-hour Dietary Recall	1 year	To assess the diet quality of the participants. It will be evaluated using the Nutrition Information System (BeBiS). In the 24-hour Dietary Recall, the foods consumed at all meals, the contents and quantities of the meals will be questioned. Standard recipes will be used for foods or meals consumed outside the home.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
EAT-Lancet Diet Score	1 year	It includes 14 main recommendations. For different food groups, a score of "1" is given if the person consumed the specified amount and a score of "0" if the person did not consume the specified amount. The maximum score for this diet score is 14.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Tarsus University; 🇹🇷 Mersin, Turkey