A Cafeteria Based Study of Weight Gain Prevention

Sponsor

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) (NIH)

Overall Status

Completed

CT.gov ID

NCT00573482

Collaborator

(none)

106

Enrollment

Location

Arms

Duration (Months)

Patients Per Site Per Month

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

The dramatic rise in overweight and obesity during the past several decades can be explained by environmental changes that foster increased energy intake and decreased energy expenditure. There are several reasons to suggest that the most effective approach to weight gain prevention is the incorporate reduced-fat eating into an overall strategy of lowering the energy density of the diet. Our energy density manipulations will be designed to reduce both the fat content and the caloric density of foods served at a cafeteria, which serves as the "food environment" for hospital employees.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
Obesity Overweight	Behavioral: REDE Behavioral: control	N/A

Study Design

Study Type:

Interventional

Actual Enrollment :

106 participants

Allocation:

Randomized

Intervention Model:

Factorial Assignment

Masking:

None (Open Label)

Primary Purpose:

Prevention

Official Title:

A Cafeteria Based Study of Weight Gain Prevention

Study Start Date :

Sep 1, 2002

Actual Study Completion Date :

Feb 1, 2007

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
Active Comparator: control group Control (only exposure to the food labels and the new lower ED foods).	Behavioral: control The control group received no REDE intervention at all. Both groups were exposed to the food labels and the new lower ED foods, but the control group did not receive the education sessions.
Experimental: intervention group Education in REDE techniques plus exposure to the food labels and the new lower ED foods.	Behavioral: REDE The intervention group received the education in REDE techniques. The intervention in this study comprised four components: Four group education sessions to introduce the REDE principles of eating; Approximately 10 new lower energy-dense foods were introduced in the employee cafeteria daily at lunchtime; Food labels for all foods sold in the employee cafeteria at lunch time, which provided the energy density, calories, and macronutrient content of the prepared cafeteria foods. Prior to the intervention almost no foods had food labels. Price reductions for lower energy density items. Both groups were exposed to the food labels and the new lower ED foods, but only the intervention group received the education sessions about how to take advantage of the new labels and cafeteria foods and only they were eligible for the price reductions.

Arm

Intervention/Treatment

Active Comparator: control group

Control (only exposure to the food labels and the new lower ED foods).

Behavioral: control

The control group received no REDE intervention at all. Both groups were exposed to the food labels and the new lower ED foods, but the control group did not receive the education sessions.

Experimental: intervention group

Education in REDE techniques plus exposure to the food labels and the new lower ED foods.

Behavioral: REDE

The intervention group received the education in REDE techniques. The intervention in this study comprised four components: Four group education sessions to introduce the REDE principles of eating; Approximately 10 new lower energy-dense foods were introduced in the employee cafeteria daily at lunchtime; Food labels for all foods sold in the employee cafeteria at lunch time, which provided the energy density, calories, and macronutrient content of the prepared cafeteria foods. Prior to the intervention almost no foods had food labels. Price reductions for lower energy density items. Both groups were exposed to the food labels and the new lower ED foods, but only the intervention group received the education sessions about how to take advantage of the new labels and cafeteria foods and only they were eligible for the price reductions.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

Weight [36 months]

Secondary Outcome Measures

Caloric and macro-nutrient intake [36 months]

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study:

21 Years to 65 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study:

All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers:

Yes

Inclusion Criteria:

works at one of the two hospitals and eats lunch in the cafeteria 2x per week
BMI between 23 and 25

Exclusion Criteria:

current diagnosis of a chronic disease or condition known to affect appetite or body weight
currently taking medication known to affect appetite or body weight
current pregnancy or plans to become pregnant within the next 24 months
current enrollment or plans to enroll within the next 24 months in an organized weight management program
plans to terminate employment at the hospital within the next 12 months