A Sustainable Choice to Reduce Carbon Footprint

Breastfeeding: A Sustainable Choice to Reduce Carbon Footprint

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of carbon footprint education on breastfeeding practices among pregnant women.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Breastfeeding
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Green Mother Training

Detailed Description

This study aimed to evaluate the impact of carbon footprint education on breastfeeding practices among pregnant women.

In the sample size calculation performed using G*Power 3.1.9.7 (Faul et al., 2007) software, the effect size value determined for the relationship between awareness levels regarding sustainable and healthy nutrition behaviors and reducing ecological footprint was determined as Cohen's r=0.470. Statistical power analysis was performed under A Priori: Compute required sample size (Correlation: Bivariate normal model), 95% power (1-β) and α=0.05 and in the light of these parameters, it was concluded that a sample size of at least 53 participants was required for the study in question. In case of data loss, it was envisaged to increase the sample by 20% as a result of statistical consultancy. Accordingly, it was planned to conduct the study with a total of n=64 people, n=32 in the intervention group and n=32 in the control group.

It was carried out with the participation of two groups. The carbon footprint education group received 4 education sessions of 60 minutes each. The control group received routine hospital care during this period, but no other intervention was made.

Data for the study were collected by the researcher using face-to-face interviews, a personal information form with demographic questions, and the measurement tools used in the study. The training was completed 4 weeks later. After the training, the measurement tools were used for the woman's postpartum period.

Participants were given an explanation of the carbon footprint education and told how, for how long, and where the education would take place. The carbon footprint education programme was completed by the participants in a specific way (nutrition, breastfeeding, environmental awareness) for each session. The education was delivered using a poster.

The carbon footprint education was given in 4 sessions in this way. The measurement tools were given to the participants again on the 1st day, 1st month, 3rd month and 6th month after birth.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 100
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye), 34668
    • University of Health Sciences

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Pregnant women 24 weeks gestation
• Must be between 18 and 35 years of age.
• Women must provide informed consent to participate in the study, indicating their willingness to participate in the educational intervention and assessments.
• Attend educational sessions

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women with significant medical conditions that may affect breastfeeding or nutrition (e.g. serious mental illness, chronic disease) will be excluded.
• Multiple pregnancies
• Previous GREEN MOTHER training
• Substance abuse
• Women considered to be at high risk of non-compliance with the study protocol (e.g. those with unstable living conditions).

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control; Women in the control group receive routine care at the same hospital's polyclinics.
Experimental: Experimental; Women selected for the experimental group will receive 4 sessions of Green Mother Training. The programme, which includes breastfeeding, bonding and carbon footprint training, is delivered 4 times by researchers. The training content has been prepared by the researchers by scanning the literature. The training will be delivered using posters.	Behavioral: Green Mother Training; Poster education

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Scale Breast-feeding Self-efficacy Scale	Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale: This is a 33-item scale developed by Dennis (1999). It consists of two sub-dimensions to determine mothers' breastfeeding skills, beliefs and behaviours regarding breastfeeding. The validity and reliability study of the Turkish form of the scale was conducted by Ekşioğlu and Çeber (2011). Breastfeeding self-efficacy was assessed using a five-point Likert scale: (1) I never trust myself, (2) I do not trust myself very much, (3) I trust myself sometimes, (4) I trust myself often, (5) I always trust myself. As the total score on the scale increases, so does breastfeeding self-efficacy. The lowest score is 33 and the highest is 165.	1st day after birth, 3rd month after birth, 6th month after birth
Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale	The Ecological Footprint Awareness Scale consists of six sub-dimensions: energy, legal, recycling, transport, water use and food. The scale categories are obtained by summing the subscales and scoring them as strongly disagree=1, disagree=2, undecided=3, agree=4 and strongly agree=5. The Cronbach's alpha value was found to be 0.960.	Participants immediately after group assignment, 6 months after the birth
Behaviors Scale Towards Sustainable Nutrition	The developed scale consists of 29 items and 4 sub-dimensions with a five-point Likert scale. It includes the sub-dimensions of food preference, reducing food waste, eating seasonally and locally, and buying food. The scale is rated as 'never', 'rarely', 'sometimes', 'often' and 'always'. All items are scored from 1 to 5, starting with 'never'. All items in the scale are positive. The lowest score that can be obtained from the scale is 29 and the highest score is 145. Sub-dimension scores are obtained by dividing the sum of the scores given by individuals to the questions in the sub-dimension by the number of questions in the sub-dimension. Higher total and sub-dimension scores indicate that the individual has more sustainable dietary behaviours.	Participants immediately after group assignment, 6 months after the birth
Depression Anxiety and Stress scales-21 (DASS-21)	his 21-item scale consists of three dimensions, namely anxiety, depression, and stress. Items are measured on a 4-point Likert-type scale ranging from 0 (Never) to 3 (Always). A higher sum score indicates more severe symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress.	Participants immediately after group assignment, 1st day after delivery, 3rd month after delivery, 6th month after delivery

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi
• Investigators: Study Director: Esra Keles, PhD, Saglik Bilimleri Universitesi

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 31, 2025
• Primary Completion (Actual): August 6, 2025
• Study Completion (Actual): December 16, 2025

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 13, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 13, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): January 17, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): December 23, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 16, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Nutrition; Breastfeeding; Sustainability; Environmental impact; Carbon footprint
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Feeding Behavior; Breast Feeding
• Other Study ID Numbers: 06.09.2023/118

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