Dismantling the U.S. Social Norm of the "Kids' Food" Archetype (REACH Project)

NCT06266533 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: Pro2023002473
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 38
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This project is the first stage of a health promotion campaign to shift social norms about marketing and feeding children ultra-processed foods. Embedded within a longitudinal ethnographic study using photo-elicitation techniques, mothers of preschool-age children will be randomly assigned to arts-based or traditional education about ultra-processed food.

Conditions

Food Selection; Environmental Exposure

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Ultra-Processed Food Knowledge

  Participants will classify pictures of foods as ultra-processed or whole foods (adapted from Sarmiento-Santos, cited below) and as healthy or unhealthy. on a Pre and post-ultra-processed food knowledge questionnaire. Both sets of questions are yes or no categorical questions.

  60 minutes

• Environmental assessment of ultra-processed food

  Participant photographs of the local food environment. At two time points (pre and post educational intervention) participants will take photographs of the local food environment including grocery stores, restaurant menus, etc. The purpose of this is to learn from participants about how they perceive the local kids' food environment and if they observe differences after the intervention. Photo elicitation techniques will be used during a series of focus groups for participants to discuss the photographs they took. These data will be analyzed using a layered analysis of the photographs (appraisal, discussion with participant who took the photo, cross-photo comparison, and interpretation) pre and post educational intervention, and thematic analysis of the focus group transcripts.

  6 months

Study Arms (2)

Conventional Nutrition Education

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Conventional nutrition education

Behavioral: Conventional Ultra-processed Food Nutrition Education

Arts-based Nutrition Education

EXPERIMENTAL

Arts-based nutrition education video production

Behavioral: Arts-based Ultra-processed Food Nutrition Education

Interventions

Conventional Ultra-processed Food Nutrition Education BEHAVIORAL

The participants will receive a conventional nutrition education session with slides, flyers/handouts, and a lecture with discussion.

Conventional Nutrition Education

Arts-based Ultra-processed Food Nutrition Education BEHAVIORAL

The participants will receive an arts-based nutrition education session with video, animation, music, and discussion.

Arts-based Nutrition Education

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 85 Years
• Gender Eligibility Details: Self-representation
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• English-speaking
• African American or Black or bi-racial or multi-racial African American and Black mothers
• \>18 years
• Female
• Legal guardian of a preschool-age child (3-5 years) participating in the Leaguers, Inc.
• Head Start programming.

You may not qualify if:

• Spanish-speaking
• Other racial and ethnic groups
• Fathers

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey: lead

Study Sites (1)

Leaguers Inc. Head Start

Newark, New Jersey, 07102, United States

Location

Related Publications (3)

• Sarmiento-Santos J, Souza MBN, Araujo LS, Pion JMV, Carvalho RA, Vanin FM. Consumers' Understanding of Ultra-Processed Foods. Foods. 2022 May 7;11(9):1359. doi: 10.3390/foods11091359.

  PMID: 35564081 BACKGROUND

• Andreassen P, Christensen MK, Moller JE. Focused ethnography as an approach in medical education research. Med Educ. 2020 Apr;54(4):296-302. doi: 10.1111/medu.14045. Epub 2020 Feb 16.

  PMID: 31850537 BACKGROUND

• Braun V, Clarke V. What can "thematic analysis" offer health and wellbeing researchers? Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2014 Oct 16;9:26152. doi: 10.3402/qhw.v9.26152. eCollection 2014. No abstract available.

  PMID: 25326092 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Food Preferences

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Feeding Behavior; Behavior

Study Officials

• Pamela Rothpletz-Puglia, EdD

  Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

  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: Professor

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned to a conventional nutrition education or an arts-based education group.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 5, 2024
• First Posted: February 20, 2024
• Study Start: February 21, 2024
• Primary Completion: July 1, 2024
• Study Completion: July 1, 2024
• Last Updated: July 24, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)