This study aims to evaluate the impact of a community-based nutritional intervention based on the Planetary Health Diet on dietary patterns, gut microbiota composition, and health indicators in adult women living in rural communities in Querétaro, Mexico. Participants will receive nutritional education, individualized counseling, and practical workshops focused on improving dietary habits and promoting sustainable food choices. The intervention is designed using behavioral and community-based approaches to facilitate long-term adherence to healthy and environmentally sustainable diets. Outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention, including changes in diet quality, anthropometric measures, gut microbiota composition, and environmental impact indicators such as carbon footprint, water use, and land use.
This study is a community-based, quasi-experimental intervention designed to evaluate the effects of a nutritional program based on the Planetary Health Diet (PHD) on dietary intake, gut microbiota composition, anthropometric outcomes, and environmental sustainability indicators in adult women from rural communities in Querétaro, Mexico. The intervention is developed using the Intervention Mapping framework and is grounded in Social Cognitive Theory, addressing behavioral, environmental, and psychosocial determinants of dietary practices. The program includes educational sessions, individualized nutritional counseling, and practical workshops focused on sustainable food preparation and dietary behavior change. Participants are women aged 18 to 59 years residing in rural communities who meet inclusion criteria and provide informed consent. The intervention will be implemented over a defined period, with baseline and post-intervention assessments. Primary outcomes include adherence to the Planetary Health Diet, measured using the EAT-Lancet Diet Index (ELD-I). Secondary outcomes include changes in gut microbiota composition assessed through 16S rRNA sequencing, anthropometric indicators (weight, BMI, waist circumference), and environmental impact metrics such as carbon footprint, water use, and land use. Microbiota analysis will be conducted using fecal samples, with DNA extraction, amplification of the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene, sequencing on an Illumina MiSeq platform, and analysis using QIIME software. Statistical analysis will include descriptive and inferential methods, including paired comparisons, ANCOVA, regression models, and multivariate analyses to assess changes over time and associations between variables. The study follows ethical principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki and has been approved by the Bioethics Committee of the Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
34
This behavioral intervention includes educational sessions, individualized nutritional counseling, and practical workshops designed to promote adherence to the Planetary Health Diet. The intervention focuses on improving dietary patterns and encouraging sustainable food choices using community-based strategies and behavior change techniques.
Universidad Autónoma de Querétaro
Querétaro City, Querétaro, Mexico
Change in adherence to the Planetary Health Diet
Adherence to the Planetary Health Diet will be assessed using the EAT-Lancet Diet Index (ELD-I), which evaluates compliance with recommended intake ranges for key food groups and provides a composite score reflecting diet quality and sustainability. Scores range from 0 to 14, with higher scores indicating greater adherence to the Planetary Health Diet and a more sustainable dietary pattern.
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
Changes in gut microbiota composition
Gut microbiota composition will be assessed using 16S rRNA gene sequencing from fecal samples. Analysis will include alpha diversity (e.g., Shannon index), beta diversity (e.g., Bray-Curtis dissimilarity), and relative abundance of bacterial taxa.
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
Change in dietary carbon footprint
Diet-related carbon footprint will be estimated using environmental indicator data for the Mexican diet and dietary intake information obtained from a semi-food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ).
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
Change in dietary water footprint
Diet-related water footprint will be estimated using environmental indicator data for the Mexican diet and dietary intake information obtained from a semi-food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ).
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
Change in dietary land use
Diet-related land use will be estimated using environmental indicator data for the Mexican diet and dietary intake information obtained from a semi-food frequency questionnaire (SFFQ).
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
Change in total energy intake
Total dietary energy intake will be assessed using 24-hour dietary recalls and expressed in kilocalories per day.
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
Change in body weight
Body weight will be measured in kilograms using a calibrated digital scale.
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
Change in body mass index
Body mass index (BMI) will be calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared (kg/m²).
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
Change in waist circumference
Waist circumference will be measured in centimeters using standardized anthropometric procedures.
Time frame: Baseline to post-intervention (approximately 12 weeks)
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