Pulse Education and Children

Enhancing Dietary Perception and Acceptance of Pulses in Children Through an Innovative Nutritional Intervention Program: Bringing Pulses to the Dining Table

This parallel-arm, randomized controlled trial will evaluate the effectiveness of a 6-week pulse-focused nutrition intervention in school-aged children (6-13 years). The study aims to assess adherence to a pulse-based diet providing 1.5 cups of pulses per week and to examine the effects of whole-cooked pulse consumption on gut health, including gut microbiome composition, metabolomic profiles, and gut barrier function. Secondary objectives include evaluating the impact of pulse consumption on markers of metabolic health and inflammation. Forty participants will be randomized to either a pulse-focused nutrition education program with weekly provision of pre-measured pulses (black beans, lentils, and chickpeas) or a pulse-focused nutrition education program in which participants independently procure their own pulses. Participants will follow the assigned intervention for 6 weeks.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Dysbiosis; Education on Feeding and Health Status; Cardiometabolic Health Indicators; Gut Motility
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Education + Pulse Provision; Other: Cooking Class; Other: Education Only

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: FSU College of Education, Health and Human Services; Phone Number: 850-644-1829; Email: healthandhumansciences@fsu.edu
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Rayven Nairn, MS, RD; Phone Number: 850-644-1829; Email: rsn25b@fsu.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Florida
    • Tallahassee, Florida, United States, 32306
      • Recruiting
      • The Gut Biome Lab
      • Contact: Ravinder Nagpal, PhD; Phone Number: 850-644-1829; Email: rnagpal@fsu.edu
      • Sub-Investigator: Rayven Nairn, MS, RD

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Children aged 6-13 years old
• Ability to speak English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Frequent pulse consumers (>0.5 cup/week for females and >1 cup / week for males)
• Antibiotic use in the past 3 months
• Diagnosed metabolic/gut diseases (ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, diverticulosis, peptic ulcers, small intestinal bacterial overgrowth, short bowel syndrome, irritable bowel syndrome, gastroesophageal reflux disease), neurological (multiple sclerosis, meningitis, recent stroke) or endocrine disorders (uncontrolled thyroid disorders, growth hormone disorders, adrenal gland disorders, uncontrolled diabetes - A1C > 9%).
• Current use of medications or nutrition supplements
• Individuals following a specific dietary patten
• Individuals who gained or lost >5% body weight within the past 6 months
• Those involved in another study concurrently
• Any allergies to pulses
• Intake of pre/pro/postbiotics in the past 3 months

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Basic Science
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Education + Pulse Provision Condition; Participants will a six-week pulse education program similar to the education-only group. However, this group will include individualized dietitian counseling alongside written educational materials, a common strategy in dietary education interventions. In addition to education, families will receive free weekly supply of pulses, pre-measured and packaged according to a stepwise intake plan (0.5 cups in Week 1, 1.0 cup in Week 2, and 1.5 cups from Weeks 3-6). The pulses provided will include chickpeas, lentils, and black beans, owing to their prebiotic and gut health benefits as identified in previous research. Families will be asked to prepare three pulse-based meals per week and complete adherence tracking. Pulse provisions are scaled to household size to ensure all members meet intake goals.	Other: Education + Pulse Provision; Participants will receive the same six-week pulse education program as the EO group. To further improve success, EP will include individualized dietitian counseling alongside written educational materials, a common strategy in dietary education interventions. In addition to education, EP families will receive free weekly supply of pulses, pre-measured and packaged according to the same stepwise intake plan. The pulses provided will include chickpeas, lentils, and black beans, owing to their prebiotic and gut health benefits as identified in previous research. Families prepare three pulse-based meals per week and complete the same adherence tracking as the EO group. Pulse provisions are scaled to household size to ensure all members meet intake goals.; Other: Cooking Class; The cooking class component will consist of a 4-week family-based cooking series involving both parent(s) and child(ren), with each week focused on a specific pulse: Week 1 (black beans), Week 2 (lentils), Week 3 (black-eyed peas), and Week 4 (chickpeas). Participants will be expected to prepare at least three meals per week using the designated pulse, for a total intake of approximately 1.5 cups per week. On days when pulses are consumed, participants will complete a Pulse Meal Record using a 24-hour dietary recall format to document intake, preparation method, and portion size. Children will also complete a Child Food Experience Survey after each pulse-containing meal; for children aged 6-8 years, parents may read the survey questions aloud as needed. Cooking classes will be administered in separate blocks to ensure that EO and EP participants attend distinct sessions. EO participants will independently review the assigned educational materials before each class. EP participants wi
Active Comparator: Education Only Condition; Participants will receive six weekly pulse-focused nutrition sessions via printed handouts, PPTs, and recipe cards covering pulse nutrition, health benefits, and cooking methods. Families will be asked to prepare three pulse-based meals per week following a stepwise intake schedule (0.5 cups in Week 1, 1.0 cup in Week 2, and 1.5 cups from Weeks 3-6) and purchase pulses independently. Adherence is tracked through weekly food logs, checklists, and surveys on child acceptance, meal satisfaction, and preparation feasibility.	Other: Cooking Class; The cooking class component will consist of a 4-week family-based cooking series involving both parent(s) and child(ren), with each week focused on a specific pulse: Week 1 (black beans), Week 2 (lentils), Week 3 (black-eyed peas), and Week 4 (chickpeas). Participants will be expected to prepare at least three meals per week using the designated pulse, for a total intake of approximately 1.5 cups per week. On days when pulses are consumed, participants will complete a Pulse Meal Record using a 24-hour dietary recall format to document intake, preparation method, and portion size. Children will also complete a Child Food Experience Survey after each pulse-containing meal; for children aged 6-8 years, parents may read the survey questions aloud as needed. Cooking classes will be administered in separate blocks to ensure that EO and EP participants attend distinct sessions. EO participants will independently review the assigned educational materials before each class. EP participants wi; Other: Education Only; Participants receive six weekly pulse-focused nutrition sessions via printed handouts, PPTs, and recipe cards covering pulse nutrition, health benefits, and cooking methods. Families prepare three pulse-based meals per week following a stepwise intake schedule (0.5 cups in Week 1, 1.0 cup in Week 2, and 1.5 cups from Weeks 3-6) and purchase pulses independently. One of four pulses (lentils, chickpeas, black eye peas, black beans) will be assigned each week.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Adherence to Pulse Intake	Proportion of participants achieving the prescribed pulse intake of ≥1.5 cups per week, assessed using dietary records and pulse meal logs.	Baseline to Week 6
Change in Gut Microbiome Composition and Diversity	Change in fecal microbiome composition and alpha/beta diversity indices measured by microbiome analysis of stool samples.	Baseline to Week 6
Change in Fecal Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFA) Concentrations	Change in fecal concentrations of short-chain fatty acids, including acetate, propionate, and butyrate, measured from stool samples.	Baseline to Week 6
Change in Gut Barrier Function Markers	Change in biomarkers of intestinal epithelial/barrier function measured in biological samples.	Baseline to Week 6

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Sustainability of Pulse Intake	Maintenance of pulse consumption following completion of the intervention, assessed by dietary records and pulse intake questionnaires.	Week 12 Follow-Up
Change in Blood Lipid Profile	Change in serum lipid concentrations, including total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, and triglycerides.	Baseline to Week 6
Change in Fasting Blood Glucose	Change in fasting blood glucose concentration measured from blood samples.	Baseline to Week 6
Change in Blood Metabolomic Profile	Change in circulating metabolomic signatures associated with pulse consumption and metabolic health.	Baseline to Week 6
Change in Gut Transit Time	Evaluate changes in gut transit time after pulse consumption for 6 weeks from baseline to final analysis, using a blue-dye capsule.	Baseline to Week 6
Change in Inflammatory Biomarkers	Change in circulating and/or fecal biomarkers of inflammation.	Baseline to Week 6
Change in Gastrointestinal Tolerance Symptoms	Evaluate changes in gastrointestinal tolerance symptoms to pulses like bloating, gas, and/or stomach cramping using a post-meal survey.	Baseline to Week 6

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Incidence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms	Frequency and severity of gastrointestinal symptoms, including bloating, abdominal discomfort, gas, diarrhea, and constipation, reported during the intervention period.	Baseline to Week 6
Incidence of Adverse Events Related to Pulse Consumption	Number and severity of adverse events judged to be related to study participation or pulse consumption.	Baseline to Week 6

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Florida State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Ravinder Nagpal, PhD, Florida State University

Publications and helpful links

Helpful Links

• Gut Biome Lab Website

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 31, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2028

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 7, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 11, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 15, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 15, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 11, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: pediatric; children; nutrition education; gut; metabolomics; plant-based; dietary adherence; pulses; beans; pulse consumption; git microbiome; fiber inake
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathologic Processes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Dysbiosis; Socioeconomic Factors; Population Characteristics; Educational Status
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00006859; 58-3060-5-080 (Other Grant/Funding Number: USDA ARS)

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