Dietary Interventions to Reduce Ultra-Processed Food Intake
DISRUPT
Testing a Dissonance-Based Intervention to Reduce Ultra-Processed Food Consumption Via Activism Against the Food Industry
2 other identifiers
interventional
60
0 countries
N/A
Brief Summary
The DISRUPT clinical trial will test two different 2-month programs to help adults with overweight/obesity (N=60) reduce their intake of ultra-processed foods (UPFs). Participants will be randomly assigned to receive standard dietary change strategies, cognitive dissonance strategies that engage them in activism against the UPF industry, or both. All participants will attend an introductory educational workshop about UPFs. If they are assigned to receive one or more of these strategies, they will attend weekly group sessions with the relevant intervention content for 7 more weeks. Groups will be held virtually.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P50-P75 for phase_2
Started Feb 2026
Shorter than P25 for phase_2
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
October 31, 2025
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
November 10, 2025
CompletedStudy Start
First participant enrolled
February 1, 2026
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
August 1, 2026
ExpectedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
August 1, 2026
November 10, 2025
November 1, 2025
6 months
October 31, 2025
November 5, 2025
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (1)
Ultra-Processed Food Intake
Dietary intake will be assessed using the Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Recall (ASA24), in which participants report all of the food and beverages consumed during the past 24 hours. At each assessment, participants will complete three recalls (two weekdays, one weekend day). To calculate UPF intake, each food entry on the ASA24 will be coded into a NOVA category based on a classification system developed through a collaboration between The University de São Paulo and the National Cancer Institute. UPF intake will be operationalized as the average daily calories that come from UPFs.
Baseline, Post-Treatment (2 months)
Secondary Outcomes (7)
Weight
Baseline, Post-Treatment (2 months)
Added Sugar Intake
Baseline, Post-Treatment (2 months)
Saturated Fat Intake
Baseline; Post-Treatment (2 months)
Sodium Intake
Baseline; Post-Treatment (2 months)
Fruit Intake
Baseline; Post-Treatment (2 months)
- +2 more secondary outcomes
Study Arms (4)
Active Control Condition
ACTIVE COMPARATORParticipants in this condition (Standard Dietary Change OFF, Dissonance OFF) will receive an educational workshop on UPFs and their harmful health effects.
Standard Dietary Change Strategies
EXPERIMENTALParticipants in this condition (Standard Dietary Change ON, Dissonance OFF) will attend an introductory educational workshop about UPFs, then attend weekly group sessions that teach standard dietary change strategies for the next 7 weeks.
Dissonance Strategies
EXPERIMENTALParticipants in this condition (Standard Dietary Change OFF, Dissonance ON) will attend an introductory educational session about UPFs, then attend weekly group sessions in which they will be engaged in cognitive dissonance-inducing activities for the next 7 weeks.
Standard Dietary Change+ Dissonance Strategies
EXPERIMENTALParticipants in this condition (Standard Dietary Change ON, Dissonance ON) will attend an introductory educational session about UPFs, then attend weekly group sessions in which they will 1) learn standard dietary change strategies and 2) be engaged in cognitive-dissonance inducing strategies for the next 7 weeks. Groups will be slightly longer to accommodate both intervention strategies.
Interventions
Participants will attend an introductory educational workshop held through videoconferencing software in week 1 of the program. The workshop will teach participants about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their negative health effects.
Participants randomly assigned to have Standard Dietary Change Strategies ON will attend group sessions with a study coach, during which they will learn standard dietary change strategies such as meal planning, problem solving, and goal setting. Sessions will involve didactics, discussion, and interactive elements to promote greater participant engagement.
Participants assigned to have the dissonance condition ON will attend weekly virtual group sessions with a coach, during which they will learn about the nefarious efforts of the food industry, including its creation of UPFs to be hyperpalatable and addictive, its predatory and deceptive marketing techniques, and its role in blocking policy change. Special emphasis will be placed on the food industry's exploitation of vulnerable, low-income communities by inundating these neighborhoods with cheap, ultra-rewarding products. Participants will be asked to engage in activities designed to elicit cognitive dissonance for consuming UPFs. Examples include writing letters to Congress urging policy change and creating "elevator pitches" for family and friends.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Ages 18-70 years old
- BMI \>25 and \<50 kg/m2
- Wish to reduce their UPF intake
- Consume at least 2 UPF items per day and at least 4 distinct UPF items per week
You may not qualify if:
- Have ever been diagnosed with anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa
- Are using medications known to influence eating behavior and/or weight (e.g., semaglutide)
- Currently using insulin
- History of bariatric surgery
- Current pregnancy or planning to become pregnant during the study period
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Charlotte Hagerman, PhD
Oregon Research Institute
Central Study Contacts
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- phase 2
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- TREATMENT
- Intervention Model
- FACTORIAL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Principal Investigator, Research Scientist
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
October 31, 2025
First Posted
November 10, 2025
Study Start
February 1, 2026
Primary Completion (Estimated)
August 1, 2026
Study Completion (Estimated)
August 1, 2026
Last Updated
November 10, 2025
Record last verified: 2025-11
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will share
- Shared Documents
- ANALYTIC CODE
- Time Frame
- IDP and supporting information will be shared within 12 months of the trial's completion, and will be stored indefinitely.
Identifiable data will be de-identified prior to submission in the public repository to protect research participant privacy and confidentiality. All individual-participant level data will be preserved and shared, as all variables collected are pertinent to scientific questions.