The Modifying Eating and Lifestyles at School Study

NCT02309840 | Completed DMC

• 1 other identifier: 21198-103
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 6,873
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of introducing healthier, chef-enhanced foods and/or environmental modifications (choice architecture) on selection and consumption of school foods among elementary and middle school students.

Conditions

Meals; Food Habits

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in the selection of meal components (Selection of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables)

  Selection of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables

  baseline, up to 3 months post-implementation, and up to 7 months post-implementation

• Change in the consumption of meal components (consumption of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables)

  consumption of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables

  baseline, up to 3 months post-implementation, and up to 7 months post-implementation

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Time to eat (Estimated amount of time spent eating foods)

  up to 24 months

• Hunger (Self-reported hunger at the end of the meal)

  up to 12 months

Study Arms (4)

control

NO INTERVENTION

Students received standard meals in a standard cafeteria environment

Chef

EXPERIMENTAL

Students were exposed to chef-enhanced meals

Other: Chef-enhanced meals

choice architecture

EXPERIMENTAL

Students were exposed to modifications to the physical environment in the cafeteria to "nudge" students towards healthier choices

Behavioral: choice architecture

Chef and choice architecture

EXPERIMENTAL

Students were exposed to both chef-enhanced meals and modifications to the physical environment in the cafeteria to "nudge" students towards healthier choices

Behavioral: choice architecture; Other: Chef-enhanced meals

Interventions

choice architecture BEHAVIORAL

1. Place vegetables at the beginning of the lunch line. 2. Place fruits in attractive bowls or trays lined with appealing fabric, and place other fruit options next to the cash registers. 3. Promote fruits and vegetables with prominently displayed signage and images. 4. Place white milk selection in front of sugar-sweetened milk (e.g. chocolate milk) or at eye-level.

Also known as: Smart Cafe

Chef and choice architecture; choice architecture

Chef-enhanced meals OTHER

meals prepared by a professional chef with enhanced palatability

Chef; Chef and choice architecture

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 5 Years - 16 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Students in grades 1-8 attending a participating school and receiving a school meal on a study day

You may not qualify if:

• Bringing a lunch from home on a study day or not eating lunch in the cafeteria on a study day

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH): lead

Related Publications (1)

• Cohen JF, Richardson SA, Cluggish SA, Parker E, Catalano PJ, Rimm EB. Effects of choice architecture and chef-enhanced meals on the selection and consumption of healthier school foods: a randomized clinical trial. JAMA Pediatr. 2015 May;169(5):431-7. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2014.3805.

  PMID: 25798990 DERIVED

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Feeding Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior, Animal; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor of Epidemiology and Nutrition

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 18, 2014
• First Posted: December 5, 2014
• Study Start: September 1, 2011
• Primary Completion: June 1, 2012
• Study Completion: June 1, 2014
• Last Updated: January 26, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-01