An Environmental Intervention to Encourage Healthy Food Choices

Encouraging Healthy Food Choices With an Environmental Intervention in Military Dining Facilities

The primary objective of this study is to test effectiveness of an environmental intervention designed to encourage healthy food intake during meals. It is hypothesized that fruit, vegetable, whole grain, lean protein, and low-fat dairy consumption will increase during the intervention. It is also hypothesized that nutrition knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors will change as a result of the intervention. The findings from this study will provide insight into the applicability of this intervention in military dining facilities.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Dietary Habits; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Healthy meal plates and trays

Detailed Description

Previous studies attempting to increase consumption of healthy foods in military dining facilities have had mixed results, and alternative approaches need to be considered. The present intervention was designed with the results of previous studies in mind, and as such, does not focus on labeling only healthy food choices. Instead, the present intervention aims to encourage consumption of nutritionally well-balanced meals using an environmental cue in military dining facilities.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 39
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Massachusetts
    • Natick, Massachusetts, United States, 01760
      • Natick Soldier Systems Center Dining Facility

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years and older (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Military member or government civilian employee
• Normally eat in military dining facility at least 1 day per week.

Exclusion Criteria:

• N/A

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Prevention
• Allocation: Non-Randomized
• Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Short Intervention; All participants will be measured for (1) baseline, (2) two-week environmental intervention: Healthy meal plates and trays, and (3) withdraw of intervention.	Other: Healthy meal plates and trays; The healthy meal plates and trays provide guidance for how to construct a meal in the military dining facility.
Experimental: Long Intervention; All participants will be measured for (1) baseline, (2) four-week environmental intervention: Healthy meal plates and trays, and (3) withdraw of intervention.	Other: Healthy meal plates and trays; The healthy meal plates and trays provide guidance for how to construct a meal in the military dining facility.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in dietary intake	Dietary intake will be assessed at lunches eaten in military dining facilities using the food photography method. The change in dietary intake from baseline to intervention will be assessed.	Participants will be followed for 6-12 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in nutrition knowledge	Nutrition knowledge specific to the intervention will be assessed with an experimenter-developed questionnaire.	Measured at beginning and end of the 6-12 week study.
Change in nutrition attitudes and behaviors (composite)	Nutrition attitudes and behaviors will be measured with a single composite experimenter-developed questionnaire.	Measured at the beginning and end of the 6-12 week study.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Tracey J Smith, PhD, United States Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: August 1, 2013
• Primary Completion (Actual): July 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): July 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 31, 2013
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: August 8, 2013
• First Posted (Estimate): August 13, 2013

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): May 4, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 3, 2016
• Last Verified: May 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: 13-14H

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED