NCT01604499

Brief Summary

This study builds on the framework of a previously implemented color-coded food labeling intervention in a hospital cafeteria by testing the incremental effectiveness of providing employees with individual feedback and incentives for increasing healthy purchases in a 3-arm randomized controlled trial. The investigators hypothesize that employees assigned to receive feedback will increase healthy purchases more than employees who receive no contact and that employees who receive feedback plus incentives will increase healthy purchases more than those who receive feedback alone.

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
2,672

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable

Timeline
Completed

Started Sep 2012

Shorter than P25 for not_applicable

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

May 21, 2012

Completed
2 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 23, 2012

Completed
3 months until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

September 1, 2012

Completed
8 months until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

May 1, 2013

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

May 1, 2013

Completed
Last Updated

October 6, 2015

Status Verified

October 1, 2015

Enrollment Period

8 months

First QC Date

May 21, 2012

Last Update Submit

October 2, 2015

Conditions

Keywords

Healthy eatingIncentivesFeedback

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Employee purchases of healthy (green-labeled) items

    6 months

Secondary Outcomes (1)

  • Employee purchases of unhealthy (red-labeled) items

    6 months

Study Arms (3)

Feedback only

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects receive feedback letters about the proportion of green, yellow, and red purchases in the cafeteria per month with comparisons to "all employees" and to the "healthiest employees eaters"

Behavioral: Feedback letters

Feedback plus incentives

EXPERIMENTAL

Subjects receive feedback letters plus small incentives to increase healthy (green-labeled) purchases in the next month

Behavioral: Feedback plus incentives

Control group

NO INTERVENTION

Interventions

Subjects receive feedback letters about the proportion of green, yellow, and red purchases in the cafeteria per month with comparisons to "all employees" and to the "healthiest employees eaters"

Feedback only

Subjects receive feedback letters plus small incentives to increase healthy (green-labeled) purchases in the next month

Feedback plus incentives

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • Employee at Massachusetts General Hospital who uses a cafeteria debit card to pay for cafeteria purchases

You may not qualify if:

  • Employees who do not have a cafeteria debit card
  • Employees with cafeteria debit card but who use it fewer than 3 times a month for the 3 months prior to start of trial

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Massachusetts General Hospital

Boston, Massachusetts, 02114, United States

Location

Related Publications (1)

  • Thorndike AN, Riis J, Levy DE. Social norms and financial incentives to promote employees' healthy food choices: A randomized controlled trial. Prev Med. 2016 May;86:12-8. doi: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2016.01.017. Epub 2016 Jan 29.

Study Officials

  • Anne N Thorndike, MD, MPH

    Massachusetts General Hospital

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
NONE
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Assistant Professor of Medicine

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

May 21, 2012

First Posted

May 23, 2012

Study Start

September 1, 2012

Primary Completion

May 1, 2013

Study Completion

May 1, 2013

Last Updated

October 6, 2015

Record last verified: 2015-10

Locations