The Stanford Plant-based Educational Study: Providers Learning About Nutrition Together (PLANT)

NCT ID: NCT05678075

Last Updated: 2024-02-13

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 102 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-05-25
• Study Completion Date: 2023-08-10

Brief Summary

More than 70% of chronic illnesses can be prevented or reversed with a whole-food, plant-based diet (WFPBD). This dietary pattern is also more sustainable for our planetary health. The majority of physicians receive fewer than 20 hours of nutrition education during the entire course of their medical training. Although many physicians are aware of the importance of diet on their well-being, they face significant barriers in following a healthy diet. Because physicians' own habits strongly influence patient health habits, the investigators theorize that physicians who eat a WFPBD themselves will be much more likely to successfully counsel their patients on nutrition and recommend a WFPBD.

The most effective methods that can be successfully used to encourage busy physicians to adopt a WFPBD have not yet been identified. Given the increasing rates of diet-related chronic illnesses, if proven effective, this study may offer a new scalable approach to encourage physicians, and ultimately their patients, to adopt a WFPBD.

The aims of this study are to:

1. Assess the impact of a multimodal 6-week educational program on WFPBD on a) change in physicians' diet type and quality, b) change in mindset about WFPBD, and c) stage of change based on the transtheoretical model of behavior change (Figure 1), compared to the delayed-intervention (control group) from baseline to week 6.

2. Assess the impact of the 6-week educational program on the development of skills and knowledge required to a) adopt a WFPBD and b) counsel patients on the same.

Detailed Description

Study overview:

This is a randomized, delayed intervention trial testing a flexible, multimodal WFPBD educational program for 6 weeks for providers at Stanford in any department.

Research Activities:

1. Screening: Interested participants will participate in a Qualtrics survey, which will determine eligibility.

2. Enrollment: If the provider expresses interest in participating, the research team will send an email that explains details about the study. A waiver of consent will be utilized given minimal risk.

3. Intervention: a 6-week multimodal educational intervention program. We will utilize a pre- and post-study survey which will include information on current dietary habits and use of Diet ID (assessment of diet type and quality). We will also assess their mindset for adopting a WFPBD. Finally, we will assess measures of motivation and confidence to adopt a WFPBD and to prescribe a WFPBD to patients. The educational program will include interactive didactic sessions, cooking classes, and weekly emails with suggested resources and activities including movies, recipes, and websites.

Conditions

Diet, Healthy

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

Whole food plant-based nutrition education

Providers will receive an educational intervention on whole food plant based nutrition that will last 6 weeks.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Whole-food plant-based nutrition education

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive an educational intervention regarding the benefits of a whole food plant-based diet and how to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets. The intervention will last 6 weeks.

Delayed intervention

Providers will receive a educational intervention on whole food plant based nutrition that will last 6 weeks.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Whole-food plant-based nutrition education

Participants will receive an educational intervention regarding the benefits of a whole food plant-based diet and how to incorporate more plant-based foods into their diets. The intervention will last 6 weeks.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Clinical personnel at Stanford who agree to participate in this nutritional intervention study

Exclusion Criteria

• None

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Stanford University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Tamiko Katsumoto

Clinical Assistant Professor

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Tamiko Katsumoto, MD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Stanford University

Locations

Stanford University

Palo Alto, California, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

68145

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id