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Pediatric ObesityCTSNCT03043118

Children's Taste Study to Increase Vegetable Intake in Preschoolers

A study testing Variety Intervention in people with Pediatric Obesity, run by Penn State University at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Studies have shown that when exposed to a variety of food and flavor options people tend to consume more than when only one item is presented. This strategy has been used to increase vegetable intake in adults and during snacktime in children. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 3 to 5 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Pediatric Obesity
What is being tested?
Variety Intervention
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
48 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
Feb 2015to 2 Nov 2016
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

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 3 to 5 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Child

Who may be able to join

  • Acceptance of test meal foods
  • Generally healthy

Who cannot join

  • Food allergies
  • Medications (prescription or OTC) that can affect taste, smell or appetite
  • Medical conditions

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • The Pennsylvania State University

    University Park, Pennsylvania, 16802

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: A Pilot Study to Test the Influence of Vegetable Flavor Variety Using Herbs and Spices on Preschool Children's Vegetable Intake

Studies have shown that when exposed to a variety of food and flavor options people tend to consume more than when only one item is presented. This strategy has been used to increase vegetable intake in adults and during snacktime in children. Increasing vegetable consumption in children is important because higher vegetable intake has been associated with reduced risk of disease and because vegetables can help prevent weight gain by lowering the energy density of a meal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of using herb and spice blends to create flavor variety in carrots as a model vegetable in a laboratory test meal. We predict that children will consume more vegetables and that the energy density of the meal will be lower when a variety of seasoned carrots are presented in comparison to a single flavor. A secondary goal of the study was to determine other influences that may predict children's liking and intake of seasoned vegetables, such as previous exposure, infant feeding practices, and genetic bitter sensitivity.

Being tested
Variety Intervention
Keywords
Eating Behaviors, Preschool, Vegetable Intake
Medical subject headings
Pediatric Obesity, Feeding Behavior

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Variety InterventionOther

    Vegetable flavor variety created with multiple herb and spice blends

Study groups in NCT03043118
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
VarietyExperimentalChildren receive three servings of vegetables each prepared with a different herb and spice blend.
Receives: Other: Variety Intervention
No Variety - ControlNo interventionChildren receive three servings of vegetables each prepared with the same herb and spice blend.

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Chang in Vegetable Intake

    Consumption is measured by pre- and post- weights of carrot offered in both the variety and no variety conditions

    Measured: Baseline and 1 week

  2. Change in Total Food Intake

    Consumption is measured by pre- and post- weights of all meal items offered in both the variety and no variety conditions

    Measured: Baseline and 1 week

  3. Change in Meal Energy Density

    Calculated from the total calories consumed divided by the grams of food eaten

    Measured: Baseline and 1 week

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Spice Intake Questionnaire

    A survey of maternally reported herb and spice consumption during pregnancy and breastfeeding as well as current home use

    Measured: Baseline

  2. Home Spice Checklist

    A comprehensive checklist of 34 herbs and spices for parents to fill out at home to evaluate children's overall herb and spice exposure

    Measured: Baseline

  3. Infant Feeding Practices

    A survey of maternally reported feeding practices, include breastfeeding, formula feeding, and introduction to solid foods.

    Measured: Baseline

  4. Liking of Broccoli with Herbs and Spices

    Liking is measured using a child friendly 5-pt hedonic scale; pilot data for future studies looking to apply this technique to green vegetables

    Measured: Baseline

  5. Liking of Carrots with Herb and Spice Blends

    Liking is measured using a child friendly 5-pt hedonic scale

    Measured: Baseline

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted3 Feb 2017 (estimated)
  2. Study startFeb 2015
  3. Primary completion2 Nov 2016
  4. Study completion2 Nov 2016

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
48 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT03043118
Sponsor's protocol ID
ChildrensTasteStudy
Acronym
CTS
Status last verified
Apr 2022
First submitted
6 Oct 2016
Last updated
5 Apr 2022
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
No

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Variety Intervention in people with Pediatric Obesity, run by Penn State University 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 2 inclusion and 3 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 5 Apr 2022. 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?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

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?

Chang in Vegetable Intake (time frame: Baseline and 1 week). The study lists 3 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?
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 5 Apr 2022.

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