IGNITE Firefighters' Health

NCT ID: NCT06567561

Last Updated: 2026-01-09

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 120 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-01-09
• Study Completion Date: 2026-03-30

Brief Summary

Investigators hope to learn about potential dietary intervention strategies (specifically a whole-food, plant-based diet) that may help lower cancer markers in firefighters.

Detailed Description

The purpose of the San Francisco (SF) Firefighter's Diet Study is to determine if a diet low in processed foods, mostly plant-based, with added fermented foods, can lower the risk of cancer in firefighters. We will assess this by randomly assigning SF firefighters to either a whole-food, plant-based diet or their usual firehouse meals. Participants will be followed for 12 weeks.

Conditions

Cancer; Inflammation; Microbiome; Immune Function

Study Design

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

Study Groups

Whole Food Plant-Based Diet

Participants will be asked to consume and predominantly vegan, whole-foods diet, with the addition of fish, eggs, and fermented dairy.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Whole foods, predominantly plant-based diet, with the addition of fish, eggs, and fermented dairy.

Usual Firehouse Diet

Participants will be asked to consume their usual firehouse meals.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Usual Firehouse Diet

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Usual firehouse meals.

Interventions

Whole Foods Plant-Based Diet

Whole foods, predominantly plant-based diet, with the addition of fish, eggs, and fermented dairy.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Usual Firehouse Diet

Usual firehouse meals.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 18+
• Active SF firefighter
• Willing to consume a plant-based diet (vegetables, fruit, whole grains, legumes, etc.)
• Willing to complete 4 clinic visits

Exclusion Criteria

• Weight < 110 lb
• BMI >= 40
• Self-reported uncontrolled hypercholesterolemia, hypertension or diabetes
• Pregnant, lactating, or planning to become pregnant during the course of the study.
• Use of any of the following drugs/supplements within the last 2 months:

• systemic antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, or antiparasitics (intravenous, intramuscular, or oral);
• corticosteroids (intravenous, intramuscular, oral, nasal or inhaled);
• cytokines;
• methotrexate or immunosuppressive cytotoxic agents.
• Chronic, clinically significant, or unstable (unresolved, requiring ongoing changes to medical management or medication) pulmonary, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, hepatic or renal functional abnormality, as determined by medical history, Type 1 diabetes, dialysis
• History of active cancer in the past 3 years except for squamous or basal cell carcinomas of the skin that have been medically managed by local excision
• Unstable dietary history as defined by major changes in diet during the previous month, where the subject has eliminated or significantly increased a major food group in the diet.
• Recent history of chronic excessive alcohol consumption defined as more than five 1.5-ounce servings of 80 proof distilled spirits, five 12-ounce servings of beer or five 5-ounce servings of wine per day; or > 14 drinks/week.
• Any confirmed or suspected condition/state of immunosuppression or immunodeficiency (primary or acquired) including HIV infection, multiple sclerosis, and Graves' disease.
• Surgery of the GI tract, with the exception of cholecystectomy and appendectomy, in the past five years. Any major bowel resection at any time.
• Regular/frequent use of smoking or chewing tobacco, e-cigarettes, cigars or other nicotine-containing products
• Regular use of prescription opiate pain medication

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

Sponsors

Stanford University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Christopher D Gardner, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Stanford University

Locations

Stanford University

Palo Alto, California, United States

Countries

United States

Related Links

https://med.stanford.edu/nutrition/research/current-studies/ignite-firefighters--health.html

Study description and sign up

Other Identifiers

NCI-2025-01830

Identifier Type: REGISTRY

Identifier Source: secondary_id

IRB-75777

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id