Dietary Recommendations for Reducing Free Sugar Intakes

June 24, 2026 updated by: Bournemouth University
This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the impacts of the current recommendations by Public Health England for reducing free sugar intakes, on total energy intakes of free sugar in a sample of the UK population.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The primary objective of this randomised control trial is to assess the impacts of Public Health England's (PHE) current free sugar reducing advice, for reducing total energy intakes (TEI) of free sugar. A total of 240 participants (age 18-65years) consuming diets >5% total energy intake from dietary free sugars will be recruited from across the Dorset region. Participants to be randomly assigned into the following recommendation interventions groups: 1) Reduce free sugar intake to <5% TEI (nutrient-based recommendations); 2) Reduce free sugar intake to <5% TEI, via reducing intake of specific foods identified as high in free sugars (nutrient- + food-based recommendations); 3) Reduce free sugar intake to <5% TEI, via reducing intake of specific foods identified as high in free sugars and replace/swap with low sugar versions (nutrient- + food-based recommendations with swaps); and 4) Control Group. The primary outcome will be changes in free sugar consumption from baseline to endpoint at week 12. Secondary outcomes include change in: BMI; dietary profiles; sweetness preference; sweetness liking; food choices; low calorie sweetener intakes and adherence levels.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
242

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United Kingdom
    • US and Canada Only
      • Bournemouth, US and Canada Only, United Kingdom, BH12 5BB
        • Bournemouth University

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • aged 18-65 years;
  • able to provide consent and complete all study materials;
  • consuming >5% of TEI from free sugars; and
  • residing in the South of England.

Exclusion criteria:

  • individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding;
  • underweight (BMI <18.5);
  • have pre-existing medical conditions affecting swallow ability, taste and smell perception;
  • currently or within 3 months of starting the study are following a specific dietary programme (e.g.: Slimming World);
  • current smokers or have smoked within 3 months of the study start date;
  • have pre-existing clinical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, eating disorders, Crohn's disease and other illness's leading to participants receiving external nutritional advice and dietary restrictions.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Nutrient-based recommendations
Participants in this group will be given nutrient-based recommendations to reduce free sugar intakes.
Behavioral: Dietary recommendations
Dietary recommendations, with increasing additional behavioural/practical advice or no dietary recommendations
Experimental: Nutrient- and food-based recommendations
Participants in this group will be given nutrient- and food-based recommendations to reduce free sugar intakes.
Behavioral: Dietary recommendations
Dietary recommendations, with increasing additional behavioural/practical advice or no dietary recommendations
Experimental: Nutrient- and food-based recommendations with food swaps
Participants in this group will be given nutrient- and food-based recommendations and advice on food swaps to reduce free sugar intakes.
Behavioral: Dietary recommendations
Dietary recommendations, with increasing additional behavioural/practical advice or no dietary recommendations
Placebo Comparator: Control
Participants in this group will not be given any recommendations to reduce free sugar intakes.
Behavioral: Dietary recommendations
Dietary recommendations, with increasing additional behavioural/practical advice or no dietary recommendations

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Free Sugar Intakes
Time Frame: 12 weeks from baseline
Percentage energy intake from free sugars, assessed using diet diaries
12 weeks from baseline
Number of Participants Who Adhered to the Recommendations Provided
Time Frame: 12 weeks from baseline
Adherence to the recommendations provided, assessed using diet diaries and self-reported adherence
12 weeks from baseline

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
BMI
Time Frame: 12 weeks from baseline
Body Mass Index, assessed using researcher measurements or researcher-observed self-measurements
12 weeks from baseline
Dietary Intakes
Time Frame: 12 weeks from baseline
Energy intake, assessed using diet diaries
12 weeks from baseline
Sweet Food Choices
Time Frame: 12 weeks from baseline
Selection of sweet foods/fluids at a given meal, assessed where participants can consume freely from a meal composed of sweet and non-sweet foods, and proportion of sweet foods consumed is measured in terms of weight consumed
12 weeks from baseline
Eating-based Attitudes
Time Frame: Baseline to 12 weeks
Attitudes towards eating, assessed using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (Karlsson J, et al. IJO 2000; 24: 1715-1725)
Baseline to 12 weeks
Sweet Food Preferences
Time Frame: 12 weeks from baseline
Preferences for various sweet foods/fluids, assessed using a taste test, where participants sample several sweet and non-sweet foods and rate them for pleasantness on a 100mm Visual Analogue Scale, scored from 0-100mm. Higher scores signify stronger preferences
12 weeks from baseline
Sweet Food Attitudes
Time Frame: 12 weeks from baseline
Attitudes towards sugar, sweeteners, and sweet-tasting foods, assessed using the SSS questionnaire (Tang et al., 2024, Appetite, 2024, 194, 107169. DOI: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107169). Scales scored between 0 and 5. Higher scores denote stronger attitudes.
12 weeks from baseline
Number of Participants Reporting Adverse Events
Time Frame: Baseline to 12 weeks
Adverse events, assessed by self-report, measured in terms of number of participants rather than number of events
Baseline to 12 weeks
Eating-based Motivations
Time Frame: Baseline to 12 weeks
Motivations towards eating, assessed using the Food Choice Questionnaire (Steptoe et al., Appetite 1995, 25(3): 267-84), with values raning from 1-5. Higher scores denote stronger motivations
Baseline to 12 weeks
Quality of Life (Subjective Wellbeing)
Time Frame: Baseline to 12 weeks
Quality of Life, measured using the Short Form - 36 questionnaire (Ware et al, 1996), where Quality of Life is assessed out of 100, scored from 0-100, where a higher score demonstrates better quality of life
Baseline to 12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Bournemouth University

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Katherine Appleton, Bournemouth University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 1, 2021

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
December 20, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
January 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
March 17, 2021

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 24, 2021

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 25, 2021

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
July 21, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 24, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • PhDBoxall

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

YES

IPD Plan Description

Anonymised study data will be available on completion of the trial from the PI

IPD Sharing Time Frame

On study completion

IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type

  • STUDY_PROTOCOL
  • SAP

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings