An Environmental Intervention to Encourage Healthy Food Choices

N/ACompletedNCT01921153

United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine39 enrolled

Overview

The primary objective of this study is to test effectiveness of an environmental intervention designed to encourage healthy food intake during meals. It is hypothesized that fruit, vegetable, whole grain, lean protein, and low-fat dairy consumption will increase during the intervention. It is also hypothesized that nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors will change as a result of the intervention. The findings from this study will provide insight into the applicability of this intervention in military dining facilities.

Previous studies attempting to increase consumption of healthy foods in military dining facilities have had mixed results, and alternative approaches need to be considered. The present intervention was designed with the results of previous studies in mind, and as such, does not focus on labeling only healthy food choices. Instead, the present intervention aims to encourage consumption of nutritionally well-balanced meals using an environmental cue in military dining facilities.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

NON_RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

Conditions

Dietary Habits Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice

Interventions

Healthy meal plates and traysOTHER

The healthy meal plates and trays provide guidance for how to construct a meal in the military dining facility.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Military member or government civilian employee * Normally eat in military dining facility at least 1 day per week. Exclusion Criteria: * N/A

Locations (1)

Natick Soldier Systems Center Dining Facility

Natick, Massachusetts, United States

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in dietary intake

Dietary intake will be assessed at lunches eaten in military dining facilities using the food photography method. The change in dietary intake from baseline to intervention will be assessed.

Time frame: Participants will be followed for 6-12 weeks

Secondary Outcomes

Change in nutrition knowledge

Nutrition knowledge specific to the intervention will be assessed with an experimenter-developed questionnaire.

Time frame: Measured at beginning and end of the 6-12 week study.

Change in nutrition attitudes and behaviors (composite)

Nutrition attitudes and behaviors will be measured with a single composite experimenter-developed questionnaire.

Time frame: Measured at the beginning and end of the 6-12 week study.

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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