Impact of increasing the availability of healthier vs. less healthy food on food selection: a laboratory experiment
| ISRCTN | ISRCTN34626166 |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN34626166 |
| Protocol serial number | RG77630 |
| Sponsor | University of Cambridge (UK) |
| Funders | Wellcome Trust, National Institute for Health Research |
- Submission date
- 04/05/2018
- Registration date
- 11/06/2018
- Last edited
- 02/02/2021
- Recruitment status
- No longer recruiting
- Overall study status
- Completed
- Condition category
- Nutritional, Metabolic, Endocrine
Plain English summary of protocol
Background and study aims
Our environments shape our behaviour, however little research has assessed whether healthier food cues have a similar impact to less healthy ones. Findings from a recent online study indicated that increasing the number of less healthy snack foods available may have a larger impact on food selection than increasing healthier foods. The aim of this study is to examine whether the availability of healthier vs. less healthy food alters the likelihood of selecting a healthier or less healthy snack for immediate consumption, and to determine if food selection is affected by individuals’ socioeconomic status, response inhibition and food appeal.
Who can participate?
Adults over the age of 18 who are able to attend a face-to-face study session in Cambridge, UK
What does the study involve?
Participants are randomly allocated to one of three groups (which vary in terms of the number of healthier vs less healthy foods they are offered). Participants in each group are offered a selection of snack foods, with the available snacks comprising a mix of healthier and less healthy snacks. Participants are asked to select one snack and are asked to consume the entire snack. Participants are also asked to complete measures of response inhibition and food appeal on a laptop at the start of a study, and questions measuring demographic variables after consuming the snacks.
What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
Participants will be paid £30 for participating in this study. There are no known risks of participating in the study.
Where is the study run from?
Behaviour and Health Research Unit, University of Cambridge (UK)
When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for?
February 2018 to December 2019
Who is funding the study?
1. Wellcome Trust (UK)
2. National Institute for Health Research Policy Research Programme (UK)
Who is the main contact?
Dr Rachel Pechey
rachel.pechey@phc.ox.ac.uk (added 07/01/2021)
Contact information
Scientific
Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences
University of Oxford
Radcliffe Primary Care Building
Radcliffe Observatory Quarter
Woodstock Rd
Oxford
OX2 6GG
United Kingdom
| rachel.pechey@phc.ox.ac.uk |
Study information
| Primary study design | Interventional |
|---|---|
| Study design | Single-centre three-group between-subjects design |
| Secondary study design | Randomised parallel trial |
| Study type | Participant information sheet |
| Scientific title | Impact of increasing the availability of healthier vs. less healthy food on food selection: a laboratory experiment |
| Study objectives | 1. Increasing the number of less healthy food items will have a larger effect on food selection than increasing the number of healthier food items 2.1. Participants with higher socioeconomic status will be more likely to choose healthier foods after seeing a greater number of healthier food options than those with lower socioeconomic status 2.2. Participants with higher socioeconomic status will be less likely to choose less healthy foods after seeing a greater number of less healthy food options than those with lower socioeconomic status 3. Response inhibition and food appeal will both partially mediate the impact of socioeconomic status on food selection |
| Ethics approval(s) | Cambridge Psychology Research Ethics Committee, 28/03/2018, ref: Pre.2018.025 |
| Health condition(s) or problem(s) studied | Unhealthy diet |
| Intervention | Participants are randomly allocated into three groups, which vary in terms of the mix of healthier and less healthy foods offered: Group 1: Snack selection contains 2 healthier and 2 less healthy foods. Group 2: Snack selection contains 6 healthier and 2 less healthy foods. Group 3: Snack selection contains 2 healthier and 6 less healthy foods. Participants are told they will be taking part in a study investigating the effect of snacking on performance in cognitive tasks so that snack food can be consumed without making participants aware that the study is about snack selection (awareness of this may affect their snack selection). Participants are fully debriefed at the end of the session. Participants are asked to select one snack and will be asked to consume the entire snack. Participants are also asked to complete implicit measures of response inhibition and food appeal on a laptop at the start of a study, and questions measuring demographic variables after consuming the snacks. |
| Intervention type | Behavioural |
| Primary outcome measure(s) |
Selection of healthier or less healthy snack item from the available array |
| Key secondary outcome measure(s) |
N/A |
| Completion date | 31/12/2019 |
Eligibility
| Participant type(s) | Healthy volunteer |
|---|---|
| Age group | Adult |
| Lower age limit | 18 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Target sample size at registration | 414 |
| Total final enrolment | 417 |
| Key inclusion criteria | 1. Adults aged over 18 years 2. Participants currently residing within the UK and able to attend a face-to-face study session in Cambridge |
| Key exclusion criteria | Any food allergies or intolerances |
| Date of first enrolment | 26/04/2018 |
| Date of final enrolment | 30/11/2018 |
Locations
Countries of recruitment
- United Kingdom
- England
Study participating centre
Institute of Public Health
Cambridge
CB2 0SR
United Kingdom
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 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 | 01/02/2021 | 02/02/2021 | Yes | No |
| Participant information sheet | Participant information sheet | 11/11/2025 | 11/11/2025 | No | Yes |
Editorial Notes
02/02/2021: Publication reference added.
07/01/2021: The following changes were made to the trial record:
1. The contact details were updated.
2. The plain English summary was updated to reflect these changes.
09/12/2019: The following changes have been made:
1. The total final enrolment number has been added.
2. The intention to publish date has been changed from 30/06/2019 to 30/06/2020.
