Sustainable Eating for a Healthy Tomorrow - Effectiveness of Digital Nutrition Workshops to Implement the Planetary Health Diet for Hospital Employees

NCT06666296 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 24-11823-BO
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 64
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The investigators will explore the effect of digital media on communicating a planetary diet and invite participants to change dietary habits. Standardized questionnaires, physical examinations, and qualitative interviews will be used to obtain data on the effectiveness of the intervention. Once initial assessments are complete, a blinded researcher will randomly assign participants to one of two groups, without influence from either participants or study coordinators. Both groups will participate in a nutrition course over a 13-week period, followed by a booster session five months after randomization, and will be encouraged to practice the methods at home. One group will receive intensive support, including a digital training program (around 2 hours per week), while the other group will receive digital information and sustainable recipes with limited support (about 30 minutes per week).

Conditions

Personnel, Hospital; Healthy Volunteers

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Healthy Eating Habits - Healthy Plant-based Diet Index (hPDI)

  Changes in heathy eating habits are measured using a generally recognized Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) in the validated German DEGS-Version from the Robert Koch Institute, Germany. The DEGS comprises 53 questions and records the frequency of consumption of various food groups and drinks over a certain period of time. The following habits are assessed: healthy plant-based foods, less healthy plant-based foods and animal-based foods. The Helathy Plant-based Diet Index (hPDI) is calculated from the DEGS questionnaire. The score of the hPDI can range from 18 to 90, with a higher index reflecting a more plant-based and less animal-based diet.

  Month 3

Secondary Outcomes (18)

• Healthy Eating Habits - Healthy Plant-based Diet Index (hPDI)

  Month 6

• Willingness to Change (PIAC)

  Month 3

• Willingness to Change (PIAC)

  Month 6

• Adaptive Coping with Disease (AKU)

  Month 3

• Adaptive Coping with Disease (AKU)

  Month 6

Other Outcomes (12)

• Work Engagement (UWES)

  Month 0

• Work Engagement (UWES)

  Month 3

• Work Engagement (UWES)

  Month 6

Study Arms (2)

Intervention group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

The following digital measures are used to provide employees in the intervention group with comprehensive information at various levels and to create a sense of belonging: A digital recipe collection, an email newsletter, digital/hybrid teaching kitchen events and digital cafés with expert input and discussion groups. In addition, participants are provided with interesting information via the hospital's Instagram account and are constantly reminded of the campaign. When selecting the digital media, emphasis was placed on integrating different learning methods. Through self-learning content, such as the email newsletter, participants can absorb the information at their own pace, make a connection and evaluate it. The topics are then explored and discussed in greater depth in digital events. Individual priorities can be set in group discussions. Through regular input, participants experience a growth phase.

Behavioral: Digital collection of recipes; Behavioral: E-Mail-Newsletter; Behavioral: digital/hybrid teaching kitchen; Behavioral: Digital events (digital cafés); Behavioral: Social-Media

Control group

OTHER

The control group will have access to the digital prescription collection, which is being developed on the basis of the Planetary Health Diet. In addition, the control group can use information on the clinic's Instagram account. In addition to access to the above-mentioned recipes and information via the Instagram channel, the intervention group receives additional digital support.

Behavioral: Digital collection of recipes; Behavioral: Social-Media

Interventions

Digital collection of recipes BEHAVIORAL

The digital recipe collection is created for private use. This collection contains recipes for every meal of the day to ensure a Planetary Health Diet throughout the day. This includes digital weekly plans with corresponding dishes, including shopping lists, to simplify implementation in everyday life. This enables participants to make quick meal choices and simplify their shopping. Employees are encouraged to use this digital recipe collection to prepare their meals over a defined period of time. In addition, the kitchen management of the university hospital will be asked to assist with the creation of the recipes. The project benefits from the experience of the kitchen staff. Popular recipes can be used across projects.

Control group; Intervention group

E-Mail-Newsletter BEHAVIORAL

The e-mail newsletter contains information on the Planetary Health Diet (background, urgency, goals, etc.). Regular contact by e-mail enables a fast, uncomplicated and personal exchange with the participants, uncomplicated and personal exchange with the participants. The e-mail support encourages participants to actively engage with the topic. The newsletter is supplemented by instructional kitchen videos (one person cooks a recipe from the recipe collection), checklists (e.g. "How sustainable am I already acting?"), tasks (e.g. three possible measures for a more sustainable diet) or food information (e.g. seasonal plan for fruit and vegetables). This provides participants with important information at regular intervals and ensures compliance.

Intervention group

digital/hybrid teaching kitchen BEHAVIORAL

Recipes, cooking techniques, shopping tips and recommendations for implementing the Planetary Health Diet are taught in the digital/hybrid teaching kitchen. The focus here is on fun, good taste and interesting experiences. A shared experience can be created through such cooking events. The teaching kitchen events can be supplemented by the participation of the kitchen management in order to benefit from their special cooking skills and wealth of experience. The positive aspect of the digital training kitchen is the easy access to information, as this does not have to be read, but is conveyed visually.

Intervention group

Digital events (digital cafés) BEHAVIORAL

Events are planned that will be set up via the "digital café" for in-depth discussions and exchanges about the content. Fixed dates are planned at which the study participants can meet digitally. In this protected setting, the topics of the study will be discussed in a convivial atmosphere. The personal exchange enables a deeper examination of the topic. The online events give participants the opportunity to interact directly with the study coordinators and other participants in order to effectively and sustainably change the participants' perception and awareness of sustainable nutrition through the various intervention points.

Intervention group

Social-Media BEHAVIORAL

A dedicated Instagram account for this project will be created for the center, where valuable content on the Planetary Health Diet will be shared regularly. The test subjects can also use this platform to exchange information.

Control group; Intervention group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Age from 18 years
• Employee at the University Hospital Essen
• A functioning smartphone
• Moderate willingness (at least 5 points on NRS) to want to change diet
• Access to digital media and social media

You may not qualify if:

• Insufficient knowledge of the German language
• Simultaneous participation in other clinical intervention studies

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universität Duisburg-Essen: lead
• Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Center for Integrative Medicine and Planetary Health, University Hospital Essen, University of Duisburg-Essen

Essen, Germany

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Media Exposure

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Sociology; Social Sciences; Behavioral Sciences; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Director of Research

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 29, 2024
• First Posted: October 30, 2024
• Study Start: October 7, 2024
• Primary Completion: August 12, 2025
• Study Completion: October 29, 2025
• Last Updated: November 25, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

DE (1)