Good food does not need to be expensive
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN16437456 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN16437456 |
| Protocol serial number | 200130001 |
| Sponsor | ZonMW Netherlands |
| Funder | ZonMw |
- Submission date
- 03/02/2017
- Registration date
- 09/03/2017
- Last edited
- 07/05/2020
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
The aim of this study is to assess the effects of the course ‘Good food does not need to be expensive’ on diet and product choice. The course aims to increase dietary variety, decrease the intake of saturated fat, and increase consumption of fruit and vegetables among people with financial problems. The key message of the course is that healthy eating does not need to be expensive, thus trying to remove a barrier to healthy eating that is often perceived by people who have little money to spend. The course comprises of two two-hour sessions, led by a dietician, as part of an obligatory household budgeting course for people with financial problems. The course uses strategies such as skills training, information, active learning and tasting. This study aims to update and test the course, including an assessment of the long-term effects.
Who can participate?
People age 18-90 with a low income who live in neighborhoods in Limburg
What does the study involve?
Participants in one neighbourhood attend either two sessions on healthy affordable foods or a seven-session budgeting course including the nutrition sessions. Participants in a different neighbourhood attend the budgeting courses without the nutrition sessions. Before, immediately after the courses and at a follow-up test six months after the courses, all participants are contacted by telephone and asked about their diet, including their intake of calories, saturated fat, and fruit and vegetables.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants receive personal advice on their diet. There are no risks of participating in the study.
Where is the study run from?
Maastricht University (Netherlands)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
November 2011 to November 2014
Who is funding the study?
Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development (Netherlands)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Kathelijne Bessems
k.bessems@maastrichtuniversity.nl
Contact information
Scientific
PO Box 616
Maastricht
6200MD
Netherlands
| Phone | +31 (0)433 882 829 |
|---|---|
| k.bessems@maastrichtuniversity.nl |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Quasi-experimental control group design with a pretest, posttest directly after the program and a follow-up test after six months |
| Secondary study design | Non randomised study |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | An update and evaluation study of the course ‘Good food does not need to be expensive’ |
| Study objectives | This study examines the effectiveness of the Good and Healthy Food programme among low income adults in deprived neighboorhoods or adults in debt repayment. Hypotheses are that the program supports participants in reducing their saturated fat intake and in increasing their intake of fruits and vegetables. |
| Ethics approval(s) | The study was exempt from ethical review by the Medical Ethical Committee of the MUMC+, 23/05/2012 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, osteoporosis and dental diseases |
| Intervention | The main goal of this project is to assess the effects of the intervention ‘Good food does not need to be expensive’ on dietary intake and product choice. The intervention is currently certified as ‘theoretically well founded’ by the Centre for Healthy Living. The intervention aims to increase dietary variety, decrease the intake of saturated fat, and increase consumption of fruit and vegetables among people with a limited income. The key message of the intervention is that healthy eating does not need to be expensive, thus trying to remove a barrier to healthy eating that is often perceived by people who have little money to spend. The intervention comprises of two two-hour sessions, led by a dietician. The intervention is organized as part of an obligatory household budgeting course for people with financial problems or as a standalone intervention in low SES neighborhoods. The intervention uses evidence-based intervention methods and strategies such as skills training, information, active learning and tasting. This project aims to update the intervention using key aspects of the intervention mapping protocol and to evaluate it, including an assessment of the long-term effects. An effectiveness study will be conducted among 100 participants of 20 nutrition education courses. All courses are led by a dietician. People in region A were automatically enrolled in the intervention condition, while people in region B were automatically enrolled in the control condition: 1. People in the intervention group either participate in the standalone intervention (two sessions on healthy affordable foods) organized in a low SES community or in a 7-session budgeting course (including the same two sessions on healthy affordable foods). The budgeting course is organized as part of a debt repayment trajectory. 2. People in the control group are recruited in other neighboring low SES communities; about half of them participate in comparable budgeting courses. The control group receives no education on the topic of healthy food. A quasi-experimental design with a pretest, a posttest immediately after the course and a follow-up test six months after the course will be conducted, using multiple telephone 24-hour dietary recalls with intake of energy, (saturated) fat, and fruit and vegetables as primary outcome measures. Process data will be collected using observations, structured telephone and personal interviews with participants and dieticians. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
1. Daily saturated fat intake in grams and energy percentage |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
1. Food choice behaviors and change among outcomes, assessed using the same dietary recalls as described in the primary outcome measures section: |
| Completion date | 01/11/2014 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Other |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Upper age limit | 90 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 200 |
| Total final enrolment | 237 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Age 18-90 2. Low income 3. Region: low SES neighborhoods in Limburg The intention is to recruit a diverse group regarding age, gender, employment status, family status and migrant status |
| Key exclusion criteria | High income |
| Date of first enrolment | 01/10/2012 |
| Date of final enrolment | 01/07/2014 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- Netherlands
Study participating centre
Maastricht
6200MD
Netherlands
Results and Publications
| Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to share | No |
|---|---|
| IPD sharing plan summary | Data sharing statement to be made available at a later date |
| IPD sharing plan | The current data sharing plans for the current study are unknown and will be made available at a later date. |
Study outputs
| Output type | Details | Date created | Date added | Peer reviewed? | Patient-facing? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Results article | results | 07/04/2020 | 07/05/2020 | Yes | No |
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
07/05/2020: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. Publication reference added.
2. The total final enrolment was added.
