AgingNCT03702335
Impact of Comprehensive Dietary Counseling on Dietary Quality, Mental Health, and Quality of Life in Older Adults
A study testing Dietary Counselling in people with Aging and Age Problem, run by National University of Singapore at 2 sites in Singapore.
Trial summary
As a person ages, an incidence of mental distress such as depression and anxiety increases while the quality of life decreases. Singapore's population is aging rapidly and older adults may suffer from mental distress and deteriorated quality of life. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 60 years and older, women onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Aging, Age Problem, Age-related Cognitive Decline
- What is being tested?
- Dietary Counselling
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 2 sitesSingapore
- Study dates
- 13 Nov 2018to Nov 2021
- 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 60 years and older
- Women only
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Able to give an informed consent
- Age ≥60 years
- No weight change >3kg in the past 3 months
- Not exercising vigorously over the past 3 months
- Does not have any intestinal disorders, including lactose intolerance
- No acute illness
Show all 10Show fewer
- Non-smoker
- Non-vegetarian
- Not drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks/day
- Not taking any lipid-lowering and blood pressure controlling medications less than 3 years
Who cannot join
- Unable to give an informed consent
- Age < 60 years
- Weight change >3kg in the past 3 months
- Exercises vigorously over the past 3 months
- Have intestinal disorders, including lactose intolerence
- Having acute illness
Show all 10Show fewer
- Smoking
- Vegetarian
- Drinking more than 2 alcoholic drinks/day
- Taking lipid-lowering and blood pressure controlling medications less than 3 years
Trial locations and contacts
2 sites in 1 country.
Singapore2 sites, 1 recruiting
- Active, not recruiting
National University of Singapaore
Singapore, 117546
- Recruiting
Hannah Senior Activity Centre
Singapore, 590021
Jasmine Low, BSc (Hons), +6594510860, jasmine.low@u.nus.edu
Jung Eun Kim, PhD, RD
About this study
As a person ages, an incidence of mental distress such as depression and anxiety increases while the quality of life decreases. Singapore's population is aging rapidly and older adults may suffer from mental distress and deteriorated quality of life. Recent evidence suggests that good nutrition is essential for mental health and quality of life in older adults.
Previous research reported that provision of nutrition education and cooking workshops to people with mental illness for 3 months achieved healthy dietary change and improved mental health. This proposed study aims to further assess the effect of comprehensive dietary counselling on dietary quality, cardio-metabolic, mental health, sleep quality, and quality of life through a 24-wk parallel intervention study in Singapore older adults.
The investigators hypothesised that older adults who receive comprehensive dietary counselling will improve dietary quality, cardio-metabolic health, mental health, sleep quality, and quality of life when compared to older adults who do not receive comprehensive dietary counselling.
Read the detailed description
Fifty female Chinese older adults (aged 60+y) will be recruited with the expectation that ≥ 40 subjects will complete the study. This is a 24-wk parallel, single-bind, prospective study design with subjects randomly assigned to either receiving comprehensive dietary counselling (intervention group) or not receiving comprehensive dietary counselling (control group). Subjects in the intervention group will only receive comprehensive dietary counselling for first 12-wk and then they will be followed for another 12-wk without comprehensive dietary counselling. Subjects in the control group will be followed for 24-wk without any intervention. Dietary quality, mental health, sleep quality, daily physical activity and quality of life will be assessed and blood lipid-lipoproteins, glucose and insulin concentrations will be measured from the collected blood samples.
- Conditions
- Aging, Age Problem, Age-related Cognitive Decline, Age-Related Atrophy
- Being tested
- Dietary Counselling
- Keywords
- Older adults, Dietary consultation, Mental health, Sleep quality, Dietary quality, Cardio-metabolic health
- Medical subject headings
- Psychological Well-Being, Sleep Initiation and Maintenance Disorders
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Dietary CounsellingBehavioural
Intervention group will be given a comprehensive dietary guidance on how to choose healthier options when eating out, as well as how to personally prepare a healthy meals.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Counselling | Experimental | Each subject will receive a comprehensive dietary counselling for the first 12-weeks of the study, which will be followed by another 12-weeks without dietary counselling. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary Counselling |
| No Dietary Counselling | No intervention | Subjects in the control group will be followed for 24-weeks without any dietary counselling. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in diet
Dietary assessment, 3-day food record (participant)
Measured: Every 2 week for the first 12 weeks and every 4 weeks for the last 12 weeks (Week 0, week 2, week 4, week 6, week 8, week 10, week 12, week 16, week 20, week 24)
Change in mental health status
Mental Health Questionnaire - Consisting of basic health screen recording anthropometric measurements, visual functioning questionnaire scale (1; Good, 2; Acceptable, 3; Poor), Lifestyle (0; Never, 1; 1-3 times/month, 2; 1-3 times/week, 3; 4-6 times/week, 4; daily), depression scale (Yes or no questionnaire)
Measured: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Change in quality of life
Quality of Life Questionnaire
- Subjective scale rating (1; very dissatisfied, 2; dissatisfied, 3; neither satisfied not dissatisfied, 4; satisfied, 5; very satisfied) assessing quality of life, health and other areas of life.
Measured: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Change in sleep quality
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Assessment (PSQI) - Recall based questionnaire assessing sleep habits for the past one month only which includes sleeping timing habits and quality of sleep (Very good, Fairly good, Fairly bad and very bad)
Measured: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Secondary outcomes (11)
Change in diet
Dietary Assessment, 3-day food record (Participant's family member)
Measured: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12 and week 24)
Change in weight
Weight (kg)
Measured: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Change in waist circumference
Waist Circumference (cm)
Measured: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Change in blood pressure
Systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mmHg) after a 10 hour overnight fast
Measured: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Change in total cholesterol
Total cholesterol (mmol/l)
Measured: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mmol/l)
Measured: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (mmol/l)
Measured: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in total triglyceride
Total triglyceride (mmol/l)
Measured: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in blood glucose concentration
Blood glucose concentration
Measured: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in blood insulin concentration
Blood insulin concentration
Measured: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in daily physical activity
Tracked with an electronic activity tracker
Measured: Daily (Week 0 to week 24)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted11 Oct 2018
- Study start13 Nov 2018
- Primary completionSep 2021 (estimated)
- Study completionNov 2021 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (3)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for AgingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by National University of SingaporeThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- National University of Singapore
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jung Eun Kim, National University of Singapore
- Investigators
- Jung Eun Kim, PhD, RD, Principal investigator, National University of Singapore
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03702335
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- S3
- Status last verified
- Sep 2021
- First submitted
- 5 Oct 2018
- Last updated
- 2 Sep 2021
- Results posted
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Parletta N, Zarnowiecki D, Cho J, Wilson A, Bogomolova S, Villani A, Itsiopoulos C, Niyonsenga T, Blunden S, Meyer B, Segal L, Baune BT, O'Dea K. A Mediterranean-style dietary intervention supplemented with fish oil improves diet quality and mental health in people with depression: A randomized controlled trial (HELFIMED). Nutr Neurosci. 2019 Jul;22(7):474-487. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2017.1411320. Epub 2017 Dec 7.
PubMed 29215971Bogomolova S, Zarnowiecki D, Wilson A, Fielder A, Procter N, Itsiopoulos C, O'Dea K, Strachan J, Ballestrin M, Champion A, Parletta N. Dietary intervention for people with mental illness in South Australia. Health Promot Int. 2018 Feb 1;33(1):71-83. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daw055.
PubMed 27476869Ting M, Low JHM, Lee DPS, Fam J, Mahendran R, Kua EH, Kim JE. Impact of dietary counselling on cardiometabolic health, mental health and dietary quality in Singapore older women. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2026 May;36(5):104536. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2025.104536. Epub 2025 Dec 24.
PubMed 41622098
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 2 Sep 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Impact of Comprehensive Dietary Counseling on Dietary Quality, Mental Health, and Quality of Life in Older Adults
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03702335
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- S3
- Conditions
- Aging, Age Problem, Age-related Cognitive Decline, Age-Related Atrophy
- Keywords
- Older adults, Dietary consultation, Mental health, Sleep quality, Dietary quality, Cardio-metabolic health
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Unknown status
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- National University of SingaporeUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 13 Nov 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- Sep 2021 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Nov 2021 (estimated)
- First posted
- 11 Oct 2018 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
As a person ages, an incidence of mental distress such as depression and anxiety increases while the quality of life decreases. Singapore's population is aging rapidly and older adults may suffer from mental distress and deteriorated quality of life. Recent evidence suggests that good nutrition is essential for mental health and quality of life in older adults.
Previous research reported that provision of nutrition education and cooking workshops to people with mental illness for 3 months achieved healthy dietary change and improved mental health. This proposed study aims to further assess the effect of comprehensive dietary counselling on dietary quality, cardio-metabolic, mental health, sleep quality, and quality of life through a 24-wk parallel intervention study in Singapore older adults.
The investigators hypothesised that older adults who receive comprehensive dietary counselling will improve dietary quality, cardio-metabolic health, mental health, sleep quality, and quality of life when compared to older adults who do not receive comprehensive dietary counselling.
Detailed description
Fifty female Chinese older adults (aged 60+y) will be recruited with the expectation that ≥ 40 subjects will complete the study. This is a 24-wk parallel, single-bind, prospective study design with subjects randomly assigned to either receiving comprehensive dietary counselling (intervention group) or not receiving comprehensive dietary counselling (control group). Subjects in the intervention group will only receive comprehensive dietary counselling for first 12-wk and then they will be followed for another 12-wk without comprehensive dietary counselling. Subjects in the control group will be followed for 24-wk without any intervention. Dietary quality, mental health, sleep quality, daily physical activity and quality of life will be assessed and blood lipid-lipoproteins, glucose and insulin concentrations will be measured from the collected blood samples.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary Counselling | Experimental | Behavioral: Dietary CounsellingEach subject will receive a comprehensive dietary counselling for the first 12-weeks of the study, which will be followed by another 12-weeks without dietary counselling. |
| No Dietary Counselling | No intervention | –Subjects in the control group will be followed for 24-weeks without any dietary counselling. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 60 years and older
- Sex
- Female only
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Able to give an informed consent
- Age ≥60 years
- No weight change >3kg in the past 3 months
- Not exercising vigorously over the past 3 months
- Does not have any intestinal disorders, including lactose intolerance
Key exclusion criteria (10 listed)
- Unable to give an informed consent
- Age < 60 years
- Weight change >3kg in the past 3 months
- Exercises vigorously over the past 3 months
- Have intestinal disorders, including lactose intolerence
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Dietary CounsellingIntervention group will be given a comprehensive dietary guidance on how to choose healthier options when eating out, as well as how to personally prepare a healthy meals. | Behavioural | Dietary Counselling |
Primary outcome
Change in diet
Time frame: Every 2 week for the first 12 weeks and every 4 weeks for the last 12 weeks (Week 0, week 2, week 4, week 6, week 8, week 10, week 12, week 16, week 20, week 24)
Dietary assessment, 3-day food record (participant)
Change in mental health status
Time frame: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Mental Health Questionnaire - Consisting of basic health screen recording anthropometric measurements, visual functioning questionnaire scale (1; Good, 2; Acceptable, 3; Poor), Lifestyle (0; Never, 1; 1-3 times/month, 2; 1-3 times/week, 3; 4-6 times/week, 4; daily), depression scale (Yes or no questionnaire)
Change in quality of life
Time frame: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Quality of Life Questionnaire * Subjective scale rating (1; very dissatisfied, 2; dissatisfied, 3; neither satisfied not dissatisfied, 4; satisfied, 5; very satisfied) assessing quality of life, health and other areas of life.
Change in sleep quality
Time frame: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Assessment (PSQI) - Recall based questionnaire assessing sleep habits for the past one month only which includes sleeping timing habits and quality of sleep (Very good, Fairly good, Fairly bad and very bad)
11 secondary outcomes
Change in diet
Time frame: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12 and week 24)
Change in weight
Time frame: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Change in waist circumference
Time frame: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Change in blood pressure
Time frame: Every 4 weeks (Week 0, week 4, week 8, week 12, week 16, week 20 and week 24)
Change in total cholesterol
Time frame: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol
Time frame: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol
Time frame: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in total triglyceride
Time frame: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in blood glucose concentration
Time frame: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in blood insulin concentration
Time frame: Every 12 weeks (Week 0, week 12, and week 24)
Change in daily physical activity
Time frame: Daily (Week 0 to week 24)
Results and safety
Results are not available in the source record.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 2 Sep 2021.
- Results publication: PubMed 29215971Parletta N, Zarnowiecki D, Cho J, Wilson A, Bogomolova S, Villani A, Itsiopoulos C, Niyonsenga T, Blunden S, Meyer B, Segal L, Baune BT, O'Dea K. A Mediterranean-style dietary intervention supplemented with fish oil improves diet quality and mental health in people with depression: A randomized controlled trial (HELFIMED). Nutr Neurosci. 2019 Jul;22(7):474-487. doi: 10.1080/1028415X.2017.1411320. Epub 2017 Dec 7.
- Results publication: PubMed 27476869Bogomolova S, Zarnowiecki D, Wilson A, Fielder A, Procter N, Itsiopoulos C, O'Dea K, Strachan J, Ballestrin M, Champion A, Parletta N. Dietary intervention for people with mental illness in South Australia. Health Promot Int. 2018 Feb 1;33(1):71-83. doi: 10.1093/heapro/daw055.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 41622098Ting M, Low JHM, Lee DPS, Fam J, Mahendran R, Kua EH, Kim JE. Impact of dietary counselling on cardiometabolic health, mental health and dietary quality in Singapore older women. Nutr Metab Cardiovasc Dis. 2026 May;36(5):104536. doi: 10.1016/j.numecd.2025.104536. Epub 2025 Dec 24.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Jung Eun Kim, PhD, RD principal investigator
National University of Singapore
2 sites in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Dietary Counselling in people with Aging and Age Problem, run by National University of Singapore at 2 sites in Singapore.
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 10 inclusion and 10 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: status not confirmed, as of the sponsor's last update on 2 Sep 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 2 sites in Singapore. 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?
Results are not available in the source record.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Jung Eun Kim, PhD, RD (65161136 ext. 65, fstkje@nus.edu.sg), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in diet (time frame: Every 2 week for the first 12 weeks and every 4 weeks for the last 12 weeks (Week 0, week 2, week 4, week 6, week 8, week 10, week 12, week 16, week 20, week 24)). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. 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 NCT03702335, which also lists 3 linked publications.
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 2 Sep 2021.