This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice for reducing free sugar intakes, on intakes of free sugar, in a sample of the UK population.
The primary objective of this randomised controlled trial is to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice, for reducing total energy intakes (TEI) of free sugars. A total of 150 participants (age 18-65 years) consuming diets \>5% total energy intake from dietary free sugars will be recruited from across the Dorset region. All participants will be asked to reduce their free sugar intake to \<5% TEI, and to aid with this, they will be encouraged to reduce their intakes of specific foods identified as high in free sugars. Participants will also be advised to replace these foods with other foods dependent on their taste. Participants will be randomised to replace high sugar foods with: 1) foods that are low in sugars, but high in sweet taste; 2) food that are low in sugars, but high in other tastes; and 3) foods that are low in taste. The primary outcome will be changes in free sugar consumption from baseline to endpoint at week 4. Secondary outcomes will include change in: BMI; dietary profiles; sweetness preference; sweetness liking; food choices; low calorie sweetened food intakes and adherence levels at week 4.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
150
Dietary Advice provided
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth, US and Canada Only, United Kingdom
Free sugar intakes
Percentage energy intake from free sugars, assessed using diet diaries
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Adherence
Adherence to the recommendations provided, assessed using diet diaries and self-reported adherence
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Dietary Intakes
Nutrient composition and taste of dietary intakes, assessed using diet diaries
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Body weight
Body weight, in kg, assessed using researcher measurements
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
BMI
BMI, in kg/m2, assessed using researcher measurements
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Waist circumference
Waist circumference, in cm, assessed using researcher measurements
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Body fat percentage
Body fat percentage, assessed using bioimpedence, as conducted by the researcher measurements
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food preferences
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
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Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food perceptions
Perceptions of the strength of sweet taste for various sweet foods/fluids, assessed using a taste test, where participants sample several sweet and non-sweet foods and rate them for strength of taste on a 100mm Visual Analogue Scale. Higher scores signify stronger perceptions
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food intakes
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
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food attitudes
Attitudes towards sugar, sweeteners, and sweet-tasting foods, assessed using a questionnaire, soon to be published. Higher scores denote stronger attitudes.
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Adverse events
Adverse events, assessed by self-report
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Eating-based attitudes
Attitudes towards eating, assessed using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (Karlsson J, et al. IJO 2000; 24: 1715-1725)
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Subjective Quality of Life
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
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Barriers and facilitators to success
An assessment of barriers and facilitators to success, assessed by self-report questionnaire
Time frame: Baseline to week 4