Dietary Interventions to Reduce Ultra-Processed Food Intake
NCT ID: NCT07226336
Last Updated: 2025-11-10
Study Results
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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NOT_YET_RECRUITING
PHASE2
60 participants
INTERVENTIONAL
2026-02-28
2026-08-31
Brief Summary
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Detailed Description
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All participants will receive an introductory educational workshop on UPFs, how to identify them, and their harmful health effects. Participants assigned to receive at least one of the interventions (i.e., SDC, dissonance, or both) will attend weekly group sessions for weeks 2-8.
Aim 1 is to test the isolated and interactive effects of standard behavior change strategies and dissonance-based strategies on treatment outcomes. Participants randomly assigned to the SDC condition and the Dissonance condition, respectively, are expected to have larger reductions in UPF intake, greater improvements in indicators of dietary quality (e.g., added sugar, sodium intake), and more weight loss, compared to those in the control condition. The effect of the SDC + Dissonance condition (vs. the control condition) on treatment outcomes is expected to be synergistic, greater than the additive effect either condition alone.
Aim 2 is to test the hypothesis that having the dissonance intervention ON will attenuate the disparity in treatment outcomes for individuals with socio-structural barriers to healthy eating (i.e., low perceived socioeconomic status, low income, limited access to healthy food, and unhealthy neighborhood food environment).
Conditions
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Keywords
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Study Design
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RANDOMIZED
FACTORIAL
TREATMENT
NONE
Study Groups
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Active Control Condition
Participants in this condition (Standard Dietary Change OFF, Dissonance OFF) will receive an educational workshop on UPFs and their harmful health effects.
Introductory Educational Workshop
Participants will attend an introductory educational workshop held through videoconferencing software in week 1 of the program. The workshop will teach participants about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their negative health effects.
Standard Dietary Change Strategies
Participants in this condition (Standard Dietary Change ON, Dissonance OFF) will attend an introductory educational workshop about UPFs, then attend weekly group sessions that teach standard dietary change strategies for the next 7 weeks.
Introductory Educational Workshop
Participants will attend an introductory educational workshop held through videoconferencing software in week 1 of the program. The workshop will teach participants about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their negative health effects.
Standard Dietary Change (ON/OFF)
Participants randomly assigned to have Standard Dietary Change Strategies ON will attend group sessions with a study coach, during which they will learn standard dietary change strategies such as meal planning, problem solving, and goal setting. Sessions will involve didactics, discussion, and interactive elements to promote greater participant engagement.
Dissonance Strategies
Participants in this condition (Standard Dietary Change OFF, Dissonance ON) will attend an introductory educational session about UPFs, then attend weekly group sessions in which they will be engaged in cognitive dissonance-inducing activities for the next 7 weeks.
Introductory Educational Workshop
Participants will attend an introductory educational workshop held through videoconferencing software in week 1 of the program. The workshop will teach participants about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their negative health effects.
Cognitive Dissonance Strategies (ON/OFF)
Participants assigned to have the dissonance condition ON will attend weekly virtual group sessions with a coach, during which they will learn about the nefarious efforts of the food industry, including its creation of UPFs to be hyperpalatable and addictive, its predatory and deceptive marketing techniques, and its role in blocking policy change. Special emphasis will be placed on the food industry's exploitation of vulnerable, low-income communities by inundating these neighborhoods with cheap, ultra-rewarding products. Participants will be asked to engage in activities designed to elicit cognitive dissonance for consuming UPFs. Examples include writing letters to Congress urging policy change and creating "elevator pitches" for family and friends.
Standard Dietary Change+ Dissonance Strategies
Participants in this condition (Standard Dietary Change ON, Dissonance ON) will attend an introductory educational session about UPFs, then attend weekly group sessions in which they will 1) learn standard dietary change strategies and 2) be engaged in cognitive-dissonance inducing strategies for the next 7 weeks. Groups will be slightly longer to accommodate both intervention strategies.
Introductory Educational Workshop
Participants will attend an introductory educational workshop held through videoconferencing software in week 1 of the program. The workshop will teach participants about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their negative health effects.
Standard Dietary Change (ON/OFF)
Participants randomly assigned to have Standard Dietary Change Strategies ON will attend group sessions with a study coach, during which they will learn standard dietary change strategies such as meal planning, problem solving, and goal setting. Sessions will involve didactics, discussion, and interactive elements to promote greater participant engagement.
Cognitive Dissonance Strategies (ON/OFF)
Participants assigned to have the dissonance condition ON will attend weekly virtual group sessions with a coach, during which they will learn about the nefarious efforts of the food industry, including its creation of UPFs to be hyperpalatable and addictive, its predatory and deceptive marketing techniques, and its role in blocking policy change. Special emphasis will be placed on the food industry's exploitation of vulnerable, low-income communities by inundating these neighborhoods with cheap, ultra-rewarding products. Participants will be asked to engage in activities designed to elicit cognitive dissonance for consuming UPFs. Examples include writing letters to Congress urging policy change and creating "elevator pitches" for family and friends.
Interventions
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Introductory Educational Workshop
Participants will attend an introductory educational workshop held through videoconferencing software in week 1 of the program. The workshop will teach participants about ultra-processed foods (UPFs) and their negative health effects.
Standard Dietary Change (ON/OFF)
Participants randomly assigned to have Standard Dietary Change Strategies ON will attend group sessions with a study coach, during which they will learn standard dietary change strategies such as meal planning, problem solving, and goal setting. Sessions will involve didactics, discussion, and interactive elements to promote greater participant engagement.
Cognitive Dissonance Strategies (ON/OFF)
Participants assigned to have the dissonance condition ON will attend weekly virtual group sessions with a coach, during which they will learn about the nefarious efforts of the food industry, including its creation of UPFs to be hyperpalatable and addictive, its predatory and deceptive marketing techniques, and its role in blocking policy change. Special emphasis will be placed on the food industry's exploitation of vulnerable, low-income communities by inundating these neighborhoods with cheap, ultra-rewarding products. Participants will be asked to engage in activities designed to elicit cognitive dissonance for consuming UPFs. Examples include writing letters to Congress urging policy change and creating "elevator pitches" for family and friends.
Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria
* BMI \>25 and \<50 kg/m2
* Wish to reduce their UPF intake
* Consume at least 2 UPF items per day and at least 4 distinct UPF items per week
Exclusion Criteria
* Are using medications known to influence eating behavior and/or weight (e.g., semaglutide)
* Currently using insulin
* History of bariatric surgery
* Current pregnancy or planning to become pregnant during the study period
18 Years
70 Years
ALL
No
Sponsors
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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
NIH
Albert Einstein College of Medicine
OTHER
Oregon Research Institute
OTHER
Responsible Party
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Charlotte Hagerman
Principal Investigator, Research Scientist
Principal Investigators
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Charlotte Hagerman, PhD
Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
Oregon Research Institute
Central Contacts
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Other Identifiers
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31272E
Identifier Type: -
Identifier Source: org_study_id