This Trial Aims to Assess the Effects of Three Different Taste-based Dietary Recommendations for Reducing Free Sugar Intakes on Free Sugar Consumption in UK High Free Sugar Consumers

NCT ID: NCT06925932

Last Updated: 2025-06-12

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: ENROLLING_BY_INVITATION
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 180 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-05-01
• Study Completion Date: 2028-12-31

Brief Summary

This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in UK high free sugar consumers.

Detailed Description

This 12-week, 3-arm randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based food and beverage substitution instructions for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in high free sugar consumers. A total of 180 adult community members residing in Bournemouth and the surrounding areas will be recruited. All participants will be asked to reduce their intakes of free sugar and replace sweet, high-free sugar foods and beverages with either: 1) sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars; 2) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are high in other tasty flavours; and 3) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are also low in other flavours. The primary outcome of interest is the changes in free sugar intakes from baseline to endpoint. Secondary outcomes include a range of dietary and biopsychosocial outcomes, sweet taste perceptions and sweet food and beverage intakes, as well as compliance with and evaluation of the dietary recommendation received.

Conditions

Dietary Behavior; Free Sugar; Sweet Taste

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: DOUBLE

Study Groups

Sweet taste arm

Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Dietary advice - Sweet taste

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners.

Taste arm

Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Dietary advice - Taste

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices.

No taste arm

Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Dietary advice - No taste

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks.

Interventions

Dietary advice - Sweet taste

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Dietary advice - Taste

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Dietary advice - No taste

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to \< 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Age 18 and over

2. Consuming more than 10% total daily energy from free sugars (-3% for testing error)

3. Residing in the South of England, and able to attend Bournemouth University for testing (Talbot Campus, BH12 5BB)

4. Able to provide consent and complete all study-related measures

Exclusion Criteria

1. Being a smoker or having smoked in the last 3 months

2. Being pregnant or breastfeeding

3. Being underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²)

4. Dieting or following a specific diet program (e.g., Weight Watchers, Keto diet, or Intermittent Fasting)

5. Following a specific diet or nutritional advice as a result of pre-existing medical condition (e.g., Crohn's disease, diabetes)

6. Having a pre-existing medical condition or taking medication that could affect taste and/or smell abilities (e.g., certain blood pressure and heart medications)

7. Allergies to foods and drinks used in the study

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

Sponsors

Bournemouth University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Locations

Bournemouth University

Bournemouth, , United Kingdom

Countries

United Kingdom

Other Identifiers

BielatRCT2025

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id