Implementation and Evaluation of Nutrition Interventions

NCT ID: NCT06876272

Last Updated: 2025-04-01

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

RECRUITING

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

653 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2025-02-17

Study Completion Date

2025-12-31

Brief Summary

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This project aims to implement and evaluate two multi-component dietary interventions focused on promoting healthy and sustainable eating behaviors and preventing weight gain among Flemish higher education students. These interventions will take place over a period of eight weeks and are specifically designed to support healthy lifestyle choices during the transition from secondary school to higher education, a critical period where unhealthy eating behaviors and weight gain are common.

The interventions will be conducted at a university and a college, utilizing nudges in student restaurants, social media campaigns via Instagram, and workshops to encourage healthy and sustainable eating habits. Effectiveness will be measured using questionnaires administered at three points in time: before the intervention (baseline), immediately after the intervention (post-intervention), and five months later (follow-up). Two other campuses will serve as a control group to compare results.

In addition to assessing effectiveness, a process evaluation will also be conducted. This will involve focus groups with students and stakeholders, as well as a process questionnaire, to gain insights into the implementation of the interventions and the experiences of those involved. If the interventions prove successful, they may be scaled up to other Flemish institutions as part of a broader strategy for cancer prevention.

Detailed Description

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As part of a Foundation against Cancer project in collaboration with the Consumer Behavior Research Group (Department of Marketing, Innovation, and Organization, Ghent University), the Research Group on Physical Activity and Nutrition for Health and Performance (MOVE) (Department of Movement and Sport Sciences, VUB), the Health Promotion Research Group (Department of Public Health and Primary Care, Ghent University), and the Flemish Institute for Healthy Living, we aim to encourage students to adopt healthier and more sustainable eating habits.

This project focuses on the implementation and evaluation of two multi-component dietary interventions to promote healthy eating behaviors and prevent weight gain among Flemish higher education students.

Since unhealthy eating habits and obesity are the two main risk factors for cancer, it is crucial to encourage young people to make healthy lifestyle choices. The transition from secondary school to higher education is a critical period for weight gain and the neglect of dietary guidelines, and students are often overlooked in health promotion initiatives.

The goal of this study is to implement and evaluate two dietary interventions developed within this project at two institutions (a university and a college). Over a period of eight weeks, various actions will take place, both online and on campus. For this study, the campus environment will be strategically adjusted using a range of nudges to promote healthy (and sustainable) eating behavior among students. These subtle modifications are designed to positively influence students' choices without limiting their autonomy. Examples include redesigning dining areas, placing healthy and sustainable options more prominently, and making healthier choices more visually appealing.

Additionally, targeted actions will raise students' awareness of healthy (and sustainable) eating behaviors. These include information campaigns on social media and organizing information stands on campus. These stands will provide students with accessible opportunities to obtain information, ask questions, and sample sustainable and healthy products. The combination of physical modifications and various activities will create an engaging learning environment that contributes to awareness and behavioral change in students' dietary habits.

Moreover, sales data from the student restaurant will be collected throughout the intervention period (from February to May 2025). By monitoring these figures, changes in students' purchasing behavior can be analyzed. This will provide insights into the impact of nudges and awareness campaigns on the sales of healthy and sustainable food options.

The effectiveness of the intervention will be assessed through questionnaires administered to students before, immediately after, and several weeks after the intervention to capture changes in eating behavior and associated determinants. Two other campuses will serve as control groups for comparison.

In addition, a comprehensive process evaluation will be conducted using a process questionnaire for students and focus groups with both students and stakeholders. This will provide insights into the implementation and experiences of the intervention.

If successful, the program can be scaled up to other Flemish higher education institutions as part of a broader cancer prevention strategy.

Conditions

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Healthy Participants Nutrition Intervention Higher Education Students

Study Design

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Allocation Method

NON_RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SEQUENTIAL

This study employs a non-randomized controlled trial with pre-, post-, and follow-up measurements.
Primary Study Purpose

PREVENTION

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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Nutrition intervention

This arm involves a multi-component intervention designed to promote healthy eating behaviors and prevent weight gain among higher education students. The intervention includes the following components:

Social Media Campaign: A series of targeted posts, stories, polls and video's across Instagram aimed at raising awareness of healthy eating habits and the importance of maintaining a balanced diet.

Nudges: Behavioral cues placed in strategic locations, such as the student cafeteria, to encourage healthier food choices. These nudges aim to subtly influence students' eating behavior without restricting their freedom of choice.

Workshops: Interactive workshops that provide students with practical tools and knowledge to make healthier dietary choices, understand nutrition labels, and adopt healthy eating habits.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Healthy eating promoting programme

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

It is a comprehensive, multi-component intervention tailored specifically for higher education students. Unlike many traditional health programs, this intervention uniquely combines the use of social media campaigns, behavioral nudges in student cafeterias, and interactive boost workshops.

Control

This group receives no intervention.

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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Healthy eating promoting programme

It is a comprehensive, multi-component intervention tailored specifically for higher education students. Unlike many traditional health programs, this intervention uniquely combines the use of social media campaigns, behavioral nudges in student cafeterias, and interactive boost workshops.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Higher education students:

* Participant is willing and able to give informed consent for par-ticipation in the study;
* Male, female or X, aged 18-24 years;
* Healthy higher education students from institution X or campus Y.
* Adopters and implementers:

* Persons who are involved in the design, implementation, daily operations or management of the nutrition intervention.
* Persons who have knowledge of the specific goals of the nutrition intervention.

Exclusion Criteria

* Higher education students:

* Students who speak insufficient Dutch;
* Students who are less than 18 years old.
* Adopters and implementers:

* Persons who speak insufficient Dutch.
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

24 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University Ghent

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Stichting tegen Kanker

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Vlaams Instituut Gezond Leven VZW

UNKNOWN

Sponsor Role collaborator

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Vanhove Maxine

Scientific collaborator

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Tom Deliens

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Vrije Universiteit Brussel

Wendy Van Lippevelde

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Ghent

Locations

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University of Antwerp - Stadscampus

Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

University of Antwerp - Campus Drie Eiken

Antwerp, Antwerpen, Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

University college Leuven-Limburg: Campus Diepenbeek

Diepenbeek, Limburg, Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

University College Leuven-Limburg: Campus Proximus

Leuven, Vlaams-Brabant, Belgium

Site Status RECRUITING

Countries

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Belgium

Central Contacts

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Maxine Vanhove

Role: CONTACT

+32 471330330

Tom Deliens

Role: CONTACT

+32 472867516

Facility Contacts

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Tijl Vincke

Role: primary

+32 479 93 48 89

Tijl Vincke

Role: primary

+32 479 93 48 89

Philip Vaes

Role: backup

Eva Hendrickx

Role: primary

+32 499 37 59 71

Eva Hendrickx

Role: primary

+32 499 37 59 71

Erika Van Hauwaert

Role: backup

References

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Saunders RP, Evans MH, Joshi P. Developing a process-evaluation plan for assessing health promotion program implementation: a how-to guide. Health Promot Pract. 2005 Apr;6(2):134-47. doi: 10.1177/1524839904273387.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 15855283 (View on PubMed)

Prochaska JO, Velicer WF. The transtheoretical model of health behavior change. Am J Health Promot. 1997 Sep-Oct;12(1):38-48. doi: 10.4278/0890-1171-12.1.38.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10170434 (View on PubMed)

Carbonneau E, Robitaille J, Lamarche B, Corneau L, Lemieux S. Development and validation of the Perceived Food Environment Questionnaire in a French-Canadian population. Public Health Nutr. 2017 Aug;20(11):1914-1920. doi: 10.1017/S1368980017000581. Epub 2017 Apr 3.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 28367784 (View on PubMed)

Parmenter K, Wardle J. Development of a general nutrition knowledge questionnaire for adults. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1999 Apr;53(4):298-308. doi: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1600726.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 10334656 (View on PubMed)

Robinson-O'Brien R, Larson N, Neumark-Sztainer D, Hannan P, Story M. Characteristics and dietary patterns of adolescents who value eating locally grown, organic, nongenetically engineered, and nonprocessed food. J Nutr Educ Behav. 2009 Jan-Feb;41(1):11-8. doi: 10.1016/j.jneb.2008.03.007.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 19161915 (View on PubMed)

Inchley J, Currie D, Samdal O, Jåstad A, Cosma A & Nic Gabhainn S, editors. Health Behaviour in School-aged Children (HBSC) Study Protocol: background, methodology and mandatory items for the 2021/22 survey. Glasgow: MRC/CSO Social and Public Health Sciences Unit, University of Glasgow; 2023

Reference Type BACKGROUND

De Cock N, Van Lippevelde W, Goossens L, De Clercq B, Vangeel J, Lachat C, Beullens K, Huybregts L, Vervoort L, Eggermont S, Maes L, Braet C, Deforche B, Kolsteren P, Van Camp J. Sensitivity to reward and adolescents' unhealthy snacking and drinking behavior: the role of hedonic eating styles and availability. Int J Behav Nutr Phys Act. 2016 Feb 9;13:17. doi: 10.1186/s12966-016-0341-6.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26861539 (View on PubMed)

Deliens T, Verhoeven H, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Huybrechts I, Mullie P, Clarys P, Deforche B. Factors associated with fruit and vegetable and total fat intake in university students: A cross-sectional explanatory study. Nutr Diet. 2018 Apr;75(2):151-158. doi: 10.1111/1747-0080.12399. Epub 2018 Jan 4.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 29314564 (View on PubMed)

Deliens T, Van Crombruggen R, Verbruggen S, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Deforche B, Clarys P. Dietary interventions among university students: A systematic review. Appetite. 2016 Oct 1;105:14-26. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2016.05.003. Epub 2016 May 13.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 27181201 (View on PubMed)

Deliens T, Clarys P, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Deforche B. Correlates of University Students' Soft and Energy Drink Consumption According to Gender and Residency. Nutrients. 2015 Aug 6;7(8):6550-66. doi: 10.3390/nu7085298.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 26258790 (View on PubMed)

Deliens T, Clarys P, De Bourdeaudhuij I, Deforche B. Determinants of eating behaviour in university students: a qualitative study using focus group discussions. BMC Public Health. 2014 Jan 18;14:53. doi: 10.1186/1471-2458-14-53.

Reference Type BACKGROUND
PMID: 24438555 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

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22222

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id

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