A Cafeteria Based Study of Weight Gain Prevention

NCT ID: NCT00573482

Last Updated: 2010-02-25

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 106 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2002-09-30
• Study Completion Date: 2007-02-28

Brief Summary

The dramatic rise in overweight and obesity during the past several decades can be explained by environmental changes that foster increased energy intake and decreased energy expenditure. There are several reasons to suggest that the most effective approach to weight gain prevention is the incorporate reduced-fat eating into an overall strategy of lowering the energy density of the diet. Our energy density manipulations will be designed to reduce both the fat content and the caloric density of foods served at a cafeteria, which serves as the "food environment" for hospital employees.

Conditions

Obesity; Overweight

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: FACTORIAL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

control group

Control (only exposure to the food labels and the new lower ED foods).

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

control

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The control group received no REDE intervention at all. Both groups were exposed to the food labels and the new lower ED foods, but the control group did not receive the education sessions.

intervention group

Education in REDE techniques plus exposure to the food labels and the new lower ED foods.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

REDE

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The intervention group received the education in REDE techniques.

The intervention in this study comprised four components:

• Four group education sessions to introduce the REDE principles of eating;
• Approximately 10 new lower energy-dense foods were introduced in the employee cafeteria daily at lunchtime;
• Food labels for all foods sold in the employee cafeteria at lunch time, which provided the energy density, calories, and macronutrient content of the prepared cafeteria foods. Prior to the intervention almost no foods had food labels.
• Price reductions for lower energy density items. Both groups were exposed to the food labels and the new lower ED foods, but only the intervention group received the education sessions about how to take advantage of the new labels and cafeteria foods and only they were eligible for the price reductions.

Interventions

REDE

The intervention group received the education in REDE techniques.

The intervention in this study comprised four components:

• Four group education sessions to introduce the REDE principles of eating;
• Approximately 10 new lower energy-dense foods were introduced in the employee cafeteria daily at lunchtime;
• Food labels for all foods sold in the employee cafeteria at lunch time, which provided the energy density, calories, and macronutrient content of the prepared cafeteria foods. Prior to the intervention almost no foods had food labels.
• Price reductions for lower energy density items. Both groups were exposed to the food labels and the new lower ED foods, but only the intervention group received the education sessions about how to take advantage of the new labels and cafeteria foods and only they were eligible for the price reductions.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

control

The control group received no REDE intervention at all. Both groups were exposed to the food labels and the new lower ED foods, but the control group did not receive the education sessions.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• works at one of the two hospitals and eats lunch in the cafeteria 2x per week
• BMI between 23 and 25

Exclusion Criteria

• current diagnosis of a chronic disease or condition known to affect appetite or body weight
• currently taking medication known to affect appetite or body weight
• current pregnancy or plans to become pregnant within the next 24 months
• current enrollment or plans to enroll within the next 24 months in an organized weight management program
• plans to terminate employment at the hospital within the next 12 months

• Minimum Eligible Age: 21 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

NIH

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Drexel University

Principal Investigators

Michael R Lowe, Ph.D.

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Drexel University

Locations

Local Hospitals

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

5R01HL073775

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

DK02-021 (completed)

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id