This study will examine the effectiveness of the online family-based program focused on sustainable eating compared to weekly emails about environmentally friendly behaviours.
The investigators will conduct a family-level RCT following CONSORT guidelines: families will be randomly allocated into control and intervention groups. The control group will receive an email once a week for 7 weeks with information about environmentally friendly habits. The intervention group will participate in the 7-week online Supper Heroes program consisting of 7 online "missions" completed over 7 weeks. Each mission includes tasks for families to complete, including reading infographics, watching short videos, participating in family-based activities, and sharing their progress. Parents will receive 2 text messages each week with information about the program. Families will also receive a toolkit to support their participation which will contain cookbooks, a potato brush, grocery planning tools, and a note that orients them to what is included. It will take approximately 1-2 hours per mission to complete all activities. * Infographics: Each mission will contain brief, 1-2-page infographics for families to read. Topics are related to the mission theme for that week. For example, families may learn about tips for grocery shopping and meal planning as well as information about plant-based proteins. * Videos: Similar to the infographics, short, 1-5-minute online videos will be related to the theme of the mission participants are completing. For example, families will watch a short, animated video about grocery shopping. * Family-based activities: During each mission, participants will be invited to participate in a family-based activity such as follow-along cooking videos, doing an audit of their fridge, and creating a grocery shopping list. * Sharing: Families will be asked to share their experiences for each mission on an online community share board by providing a photo and/or text.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
330
Families randomized to the intervention group will complete a 7-week Supper Heroes program that includes activities focused on making more meals at home, reducing food waste, and eating more plant-based foods.
Families randomized to the control group will receive monthly emails for 6 months about environmentally friendly habits.
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, Canada
RECRUITINGDecrease in avoidable food waste
The amount of avoidable food waste generated is measured as the difference in weight (grams) between baseline (T0), post-intervention/control (T1), and 6-month follow-up (T2), as assessed by weighed food waste diaries. Participants will complete a food waste diary using a provided kitchen scale and detailed instructions on how to do so. The amount of avoidable food waste will be compared between participants in the Supper Heroes intervention group and those in the control group. Measurement Tool: Food waste diary and kitchen scale. Unit of Measure: Families will be asked to list all food thrown away, the weight of the food (gams) and the reason the food was thrown away (e.g., it went bad) for 7 days. Time Points: Baseline (T0): post-intervention/control (T1 - after completion of either intervention or control activities, 7 weeks); follow-up (T2 - 6 months after completing the intervention or control activities).
Time frame: 15 months
Increased intake of plant-based foods among parents and children.
The amount of plant-based foods consumed by parents and children is measured as the mean servings of plant-based foods, as assessed by a web-based food frequency questionnaire. This will be compared between participants in the Supper Heroes intervention group and those in the control group. Measurement Tool: Food frequency questionnaire adapted from Canadian Diet History Questionnaire II Unit of Measure: Servings of plant-based foods consumed per day Time Points: Baseline (T0): post-intervention/control (T1 - after completion of either intervention or control activities, 7 weeks); follow-up (T2 - 6 months after completing the intervention or control activities).
Time frame: 15 months
Decreased intake of red and processed meats among parents and children.
The amount of red and processed meats consumed by parents and children, measured as the average daily intake (servings) of red and processed meats, as assessed by a web-based food frequency questionnaire. This will be compared between participants in the Supper Heroes intervention group and those in the control group. Measurement Tool: Food frequency questionnaire adapted from Canadian Diet History Questionnaire II Unit of Measure: Servings of red and processed meats consumed per day Time Points: Baseline (T0): post-intervention/control (T1 - after completion of either intervention or control activities, 7 weeks); follow-up (T2 - 6 months after completing the intervention or control activities).
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Time frame: 15 months