This Trial Aims to Assess the Effects of Three Different Taste-based Dietary Recommendations for Reducing Free Sugar Intakes on Free Sugar Consumption in UK High Free Sugar Consumers

NCT06925932 | Enrolling By Invitation DMC

• 1 other identifier: BielatRCT2025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 180
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in UK high free sugar consumers.

Conditions

Dietary Behavior; Free Sugar; Sweet Taste

Keywords

dietary behavior; free sugar; sweet taste

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Free sugar intakes

  Percentage total energy intake (%TEI) from free sugars, measured using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls.

  Baseline to week 12

• Adherence

  Adherence with the dietary advice received will be assessed by self-report using online surveys.

  week 3 to week 12

Secondary Outcomes (15)

• Energy intake and diet composition

  Baseline to week 12

• Body weight

  Baseline to week 12

• Waist circumference

  Baseline to week 12

• Body fat percentage

  Baseline to week 12

• Body mass index

  Baseline to week 12

Study Arms (3)

Sweet taste arm

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners.

Behavioral: Dietary advice - Sweet taste

Taste arm

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices.

Behavioral: Dietary advice - Taste

No taste arm

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks.

Behavioral: Dietary advice - No taste

Interventions

Dietary advice - Sweet taste BEHAVIORAL

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners.

Sweet taste arm

Dietary advice - Taste BEHAVIORAL

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices.

Taste arm

Dietary advice - No taste BEHAVIORAL

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks.

No taste arm

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• Age 18 and over
• Consuming more than 10% total daily energy from free sugars (-3% for testing error)
• Residing in the South of England, and able to attend Bournemouth University for testing (Talbot Campus, BH12 5BB)
• Able to provide consent and complete all study-related measures

You may not qualify if:

• Being a smoker or having smoked in the last 3 months
• Being pregnant or breastfeeding
• Being underweight (BMI \< 18.5 kg/m²)
• Dieting or following a specific diet program (e.g., Weight Watchers, Keto diet, or Intermittent Fasting)
• Following a specific diet or nutritional advice as a result of pre-existing medical condition (e.g., Crohn's disease, diabetes)
• Having a pre-existing medical condition or taking medication that could affect taste and/or smell abilities (e.g., certain blood pressure and heart medications)
• Allergies to foods and drinks used in the study

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Bournemouth University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Bournemouth University

Bournemouth, BH12 5BB, United Kingdom

Location

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The investigator and all outcome assessors will be blinded to the intervention allocation. Participants will also be blinded to intervention allocation aside from their own. Data processing and analysis will be undertaken in a blinded manner.
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 7, 2025
• First Posted: April 13, 2025
• Study Start: May 1, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2028
• Last Updated: June 12, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-06

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

GB (1)