Understanding the Impact of Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent (PACE) Labelling in Secondary Schools

November 18, 2022 updated by: Amanda Daley, Loughborough University

A Cluster Randomised Controlled Trial Testing Physical Activity Calorie Equivalent (PACE) Labelling on Discretionary Foods in Secondary Schools

The aim is to undertake a cluster randomised controlled trial to assess the effectiveness of PACE food labelling in reducing young people's purchasing of discretionary foods in secondary school canteens. Physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) food labelling aims to show the number of minutes or miles/kilometres of physical activity equivalent to the calories contained in food/drinks.

Study Overview

Status

Recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) food labelling aims to show the number of minutes or miles/kilometres of physical activity equivalent to the calories contained in food/drinks. Evidence suggests that PACE food labelling may influence food/drink choice. Most research in this area however have tested PACE food labels with adults and/or have tested hypothetical food choice scenarios. Studies in real world contexts with young people are needed to see if PACE food labels could help them make healthier food choices.

The aim is to assess the effectiveness of PACE food labelling in reducing young people's purchasing of discretionary foods in secondary school canteens. A cluster randomised controlled trial with a nested qualitative study will be conducted. Secondary schools will be randomised to either display PACE labelling near discretionary foods or continue with their usual practice. The intervention period will be up to 6 weeks. Anonymised purchase data will be collected throughout the study period.

Qualitative interviews will be conducted with students in the intervention schools to explore their views of the PACE labels such as perceived influence of the PACE labelling on their food selection.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Anticipated)

8000

Phase

  • 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 Contact

Study Locations

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

Ages Eligible for Study

10 years to 19 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Secondary schools:

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Secondary schools that admit young people aged between 10 to 19 years.
  • Sell at least one type of cake and/or at least one type of sweet biscuit for at least 2 days per week up to a 6 week period (or equivalent), and have sold the same cake(s)/biscuit(s) before the study (for a minimum of 4 weeks).
  • Able to provide to the researcher with anonymised purchase data for study periods. Data to include number of units sold and dates sold of the chosen food item(s).
  • A PACE label could feasibly be placed near to the study elected food item(s) in a school canteen used by students.
  • Not participating in any other school trials or initiatives.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Secondary schools not meeting the inclusion criteria.
  • Secondary schools that admit young people below the age of 10 years or above the age of 19 years.

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention (PACE labelling)
PACE labelling implemented near at least one discretionary food item in secondary school canteens for up to 6 weeks.
Behavioral: PACE labelling
PACE labelling implemented near at least one discretionary food item in secondary school canteens for up to 6 weeks.
No Intervention: Control (usual practice)
PACE labelling not implemented. Secondary schools continue with their usual practice.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
Change in number of daily purchases/units sold of the specified discretionary food(s) in secondary school canteens.
Time Frame: Baseline period (a minimum of 4 weeks), Intervention period (up to 6 weeks) and Washout period (up to 6 weeks, and if time allows)
Baseline period (a minimum of 4 weeks), Intervention period (up to 6 weeks) and Washout period (up to 6 weeks, and if time allows)

Collaborators and Investigators

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

Sponsor

Loughborough University

Collaborators

Natalia Iris

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)

February 28, 2022

Primary Completion (Anticipated)

February 1, 2023

Study Completion (Anticipated)

February 1, 2023

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

October 13, 2022

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 18, 2022

First Posted (Actual)

November 21, 2022

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 21, 2022

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

November 18, 2022

Last Verified

November 1, 2022

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 7011 (Palo Alto Institute/Stanford University)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

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.

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