Making Meals With Pulses

Understanding the Representation of Pulses and Pulse-based Food Products in the Diet of American Non-Vegetarian Consumers

The goal for this study is to determine how Americans use beans, peas, and lentils (also called pulses) as part of a meal. The researchers will investigate food choices when getting a meal or dish ready that is made of more than two foods. Secondly, they will determine how study participants feel about eating pulses.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Healthy Individuals

Detailed Description

The goal for this study is to determine how Americans view whole pulses and pulse-based food products as part of the meal/dish structure. The experimental approach researchers will use to address this goal is a meal/dish-composition computer task to investigate spontaneous food choices when other protein foods, vegetables, and grains are provided as meal/dish component options. For each meal or dish composition that pulses are chosen as a component, participants will be asked if the pulse/pulse-based food product was chosen as a substitute for another food.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 76

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Shanon Casperson, PhD; Phone Number: 701-795-8497; Email: shanon.casperson@usda.gov

Study Locations

• United States
  • North Dakota
    • Grand Forks, North Dakota, United States, 58203
      • Recruiting
      • USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
      • Contact: Angela J Scheett, MPH, RDN; Phone Number: 701-795-8386; Email: angela.scheett@usda.gov

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Community sample

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• able to understand and sign the consent form
• able to provide own transportation to research center
• non-smoking or does not use other tobacco products, including e-cigarettes
• not planning to or currently attempting to gain or lose weight
• free of any major medical or psychiatric condition that would interfere with participation
• physically able to do the computer tasks
• cook meals a minimum of three times per week for own self and/or household

Exclusion Criteria:

• more than a 2 kg change in body weight within the past 3 months
• participation in a weight loss diet/exercise program
• diagnosed eating disorder
• allergies or severe dislike for the foods used to complete the task
• had bariatric surgery
• cannot read or understand English

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
What foods are chosen to create a meal	Record which foods are chosen by participants when asked to create a meal under different scenarios.	30 minutes
What food is chosen first to create a meal	Record what food is chosen first by participants when asked to create a meal under different scenarios.	30 minutes
Frequency of pulses chosen to create a meal	The number of times participants choose pulses when creating a meal under different scenarios.	30 minutes

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Shanon Casperson, PhD, USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 30, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2027

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 27, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): April 28, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: April 22, 2026
• Last Verified: April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: GFHNRC344

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