Food ChoiceDISCNCT02359916
Delays to Influence Snack Choice
An observational study of Food Choice, run by Rush University Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The pervasiveness of high-calorie, nutrient-poor snacks in the environment is believed to have contributed to the epidemic levels of obesity and cardiometabolic disease in the U.S. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Any ageHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Food Choice
- What is being tested?
- Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacks, 25%/$0.25 discount on healthy snacks and 25%/$0.25 tax on less healthy snacks
- How many people
- 32,662 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- Jun 2015to Aug 2016
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages Any age
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult, Older adult
Study population: This is an environmental intervention. No subjects will be recruited or enrolled.
Who may be able to join
- Not applicable
Who cannot join
- Not applicable
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Rush University Medical Center
Chicago, Illinois, 60612
About this study
Official title: Time Over Money? A Novel System to Influence Snack Machine Choices
The pervasiveness of high-calorie, nutrient-poor snacks in the environment is believed to have contributed to the epidemic levels of obesity and cardiometabolic disease in the U.S. This project tests whether a novel snack vending machine system that uses brief time delays to reduce the immediacy of reward from unhealthy snacks will improve the healthfulness of snack choices. If successful, this project will identify a new environmental intervention that could contribute substantially to obesity and cardiometabolic disease prevention efforts in schools, worksites, and other settings.
Read the detailed description
Environmental interventions that address the high availability of unhealthy snacks in the environment are needed to prevent a large projected increase in the incidence of obesity and cardiometabolic disease in the U.S. Prior studies from the investigators group and others suggests that the human preference for immediate gratification from food drives dietary overconsumption, but this knowledge has not yet translated to more effective dietary intervention strategies. This project tests whether a novel snack vending machine system that uses brief time delays to reduce the immediacy of reward from unhealthy snacks will improve the healthfulness of snack choices. This study uses an experimental design to compare brief time delays, two forms of 25% differential pricing, and time delays combined with both forms of 25% differential pricing on their ability to increase purchasing of healthy snacks. Test machines will be placed in existing, high-volume vending locations, and each of these five experimental conditions will run for roughly four weeks. Additionally, baseline purchasing under no intervention will be monitored for four weeks before and four weeks after the five experimental conditions. Specific Aim 2 compares the effects of these five interventions against baseline on the proportion of total vending sales from healthy snacks. Specific Aim 3 tests whether time delays or differential pricing harm overall vending machine sales in the test machines. This study not only tests a compelling theory about the effects of time delays and immediate reward on food choice, but evaluates the efficacy and feasibility of a novel intervention to improve the healthfulness of snack choices in worksites, schools, and other settings.
- Conditions
- Food Choice
- Being tested
- Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacks, 25%/$0.25 discount on healthy snacks, 25%/$0.25 tax on less healthy snacks
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacksOther
25%/$0.25 discount on healthy snacksOther
25%/$0.25 tax on less healthy snacksOther
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| A | Snacks sold under equal pricing, no delays | |
| B | Healthier snacks sold at 25% or $0.25 discount, no delays Receives: Other: 25%/$0.25 discount on healthy snacks | |
| C | Less healthy snacks sold at equal pricing with delays Receives: Other: Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacks | |
| D | Healthy snacks sold at 25% or $0.25 discount, plus delays on less healthy snacks Receives: Other: Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacks; Other: 25%/$0.25 discount on healthy snacks | |
| E | Less healthy snacks sold at 25% or $0.25 higher price, no delays Receives: Other: 25%/$0.25 tax on less healthy snacks | |
| F | Less healthy snacks sold at 25% or $0.25 higher price, plus delays Receives: Other: Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacks; Other: 25%/$0.25 tax on less healthy snacks | |
| G | Snacks sold under equal pricing, no delays |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Proportion of Healthy Snacks Purchased
For each experimental condition, we will calculate the proportion of healthy vs unhealthy snacks sold over 4 weeks.
Measured: 28 weeks per vending location
Secondary outcomes (1)
Total Daily Vending Revenue in US$/Day
Total vending machine revenue under each condition
Measured: Number of days per condition were as follows - Baseline: 119 days, Discount only: 59 days, Delay only: 68 days, Delay + Discount: 49 days, Tax only: 73 days, Delay + Tax: 60 days
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted10 Feb 2015 (estimated)
- Study startJun 2015
- Primary completionAug 2016
- Study completionAug 2016
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Food ChoiceStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Ecologic or community
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 32,662 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Rush University Medical Center
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Brad Appelhans, Rush University Medical Center
- Investigators
- Bradley M Appelhans, PhD, Principal investigator, Associate Professor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02359916
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 13012802
- Acronym
- DISC
- Status last verified
- Jan 2018
- First submitted
- 2 Feb 2015
- Last updated
- 23 Feb 2018
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- No
Publications
Appelhans BM, French SA, Olinger T, Bogucki M, Janssen I, Avery-Mamer EF, Powell LM. Leveraging delay discounting for health: Can time delays influence food choice? Appetite. 2018 Jul 1;126:16-25. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.03.010. Epub 2018 Mar 15.
PubMed 29551401
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Feb 2018. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Time Over Money? A Novel System to Influence Snack Machine Choices
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02359916
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DISC / 13012802
- Conditions
- Food Choice
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 32,662 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Rush University Medical CenterUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Jun 2015
- Primary completion
- Aug 2016 (actual)
- Study completion
- Aug 2016 (actual)
- First posted
- 10 Feb 2015 (estimated)
- Results
- Posted 26 Jan 2018
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The pervasiveness of high-calorie, nutrient-poor snacks in the environment is believed to have contributed to the epidemic levels of obesity and cardiometabolic disease in the U.S. This project tests whether a novel snack vending machine system that uses brief time delays to reduce the immediacy of reward from unhealthy snacks will improve the healthfulness of snack choices. If successful, this project will identify a new environmental intervention that could contribute substantially to obesity and cardiometabolic disease prevention efforts in schools, worksites, and other settings.
Detailed description
Environmental interventions that address the high availability of unhealthy snacks in the environment are needed to prevent a large projected increase in the incidence of obesity and cardiometabolic disease in the U.S. Prior studies from the investigators group and others suggests that the human preference for immediate gratification from food drives dietary overconsumption, but this knowledge has not yet translated to more effective dietary intervention strategies. This project tests whether a novel snack vending machine system that uses brief time delays to reduce the immediacy of reward from unhealthy snacks will improve the healthfulness of snack choices. This study uses an experimental design to compare brief time delays, two forms of 25% differential pricing, and time delays combined with both forms of 25% differential pricing on their ability to increase purchasing of healthy snacks. Test machines will be placed in existing, high-volume vending locations, and each of these five experimental conditions will run for roughly four weeks. Additionally, baseline purchasing under no intervention will be monitored for four weeks before and four weeks after the five experimental conditions. Specific Aim 2 compares the effects of these five interventions against baseline on the proportion of total vending sales from healthy snacks. Specific Aim 3 tests whether time delays or differential pricing harm overall vending machine sales in the test machines. This study not only tests a compelling theory about the effects of time delays and immediate reward on food choice, but evaluates the efficacy and feasibility of a novel intervention to improve the healthfulness of snack choices in worksites, schools, and other settings.
Study design
- Observational model
- Ecologic or community
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 7
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| A | – | –Snacks sold under equal pricing, no delays |
| B | – | Other: 25%/$0.25 discount on healthy snacksHealthier snacks sold at 25% or $0.25 discount, no delays |
| C | – | Other: Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacksLess healthy snacks sold at equal pricing with delays |
| D | – | Other: Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacks, Other: 25%/$0.25 discount on healthy snacksHealthy snacks sold at 25% or $0.25 discount, plus delays on less healthy snacks |
| E | – | Other: 25%/$0.25 tax on less healthy snacksLess healthy snacks sold at 25% or $0.25 higher price, no delays |
| F | – | Other: Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacks, Other: 25%/$0.25 tax on less healthy snacksLess healthy snacks sold at 25% or $0.25 higher price, plus delays |
| G | – | –Snacks sold under equal pricing, no delays |
Who may qualify
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- This is an environmental intervention. No subjects will be recruited or enrolled.
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Not applicable
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Not applicable
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Time delays on delivery of less healthy snacks | Other | C, D, F |
| 25%/$0.25 discount on healthy snacks | Other | B, D |
| 25%/$0.25 tax on less healthy snacks | Other | E, F |
Primary outcome
Proportion of Healthy Snacks Purchased
Time frame: 28 weeks per vending location
For each experimental condition, we will calculate the proportion of healthy vs unhealthy snacks sold over 4 weeks.
1 secondary outcome
Total Daily Vending Revenue in US$/Day
Time frame: Number of days per condition were as follows - Baseline: 119 days, Discount only: 59 days, Delay only: 68 days, Delay + Discount: 49 days, Tax only: 73 days, Delay + Tax: 60 days
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Feb 2018.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 29551401Appelhans BM, French SA, Olinger T, Bogucki M, Janssen I, Avery-Mamer EF, Powell LM. Leveraging delay discounting for health: Can time delays influence food choice? Appetite. 2018 Jul 1;126:16-25. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2018.03.010. Epub 2018 Mar 15.
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Bradley M Appelhans, PhD principal investigator
Associate Professor
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Food Choice, run by Rush University Medical Center at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Feb 2018. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 26 Jan 2018). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Proportion of Healthy Snacks Purchased (time frame: 28 weeks per vending location). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02359916, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Feb 2018.