Food SelectionNCT04912375
Decision-making for Food Consumption in Young Adults
A study testing Priming intervention in people with Food Selection, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
Background: Experimental and cross-sectional evidence suggests that poor executive function can lead to heightened reactivity to food cues and perceived greater reward of unhealthy but palatable foods and subsequently lead to overeating or clinical eating disorders. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Food Selection
- What is being tested?
- Priming intervention
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 126 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- 24 Jun 2021to 24 Dec 2024
- 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 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Healthy adults who can speak Chinese or Mandarin
- Aged between 18 and 30 years
Who cannot join
- Having cognitive difficulties to understand the study instruments
- Having a physical or medical condition that requires certain food or dietary restrictions
- Having been diagnosed with any pathogenic eating disorders
- Participants whose subject is related to psychology
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Executive Function, Reactivity to Cues of Food Consumption: a Cohort Study in Young Adults
Background: Experimental and cross-sectional evidence suggests that poor executive function can lead to heightened reactivity to food cues and perceived greater reward of unhealthy but palatable foods and subsequently lead to overeating or clinical eating disorders. This may be an important reason for the increasing trend of obesity in our society.
Aims: This study will investigate the interrelationships among executive function, reactivity to food-related cues and eating style in young adults. In addition, this study will examine the influence of food environment and stress on reactivity to food-related cues and executive function and how executive function and reactivity to food-related cues would influence health risky behaviours in young adults. We will also conduct a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) to develop the culturally specific goal priming intervention for the Chinese adults and test its effect on decision-making for food choice among adults with low executive function.
Read more
Design and subjects: This will be a three-wave cohort study in young adults who are recruited in their final-year of first post-secondary education and follow-up at six months and 12 months after their graduation. For the pilot RCT, a 2 (low vs. high executive function) x 2 (with vs. without goal priming intervention) will be used to test the effect of goal priming intervention on food choice. The goal priming intervention will be 5-min word-searching task to prime goals of healthy eating.
Main outcome measures: Participants will be invited to complete a series on computerized tasks and other assessments online in each wave to assess their executive function, risk taking propensity, reactivity to food-related cues, perceived stress, exposure to food-related cues, eating style and other health-related behaviours. Structural equation modelling will be used to test the interrelationships among executive function, reactivity to food-related cues and eating style, among exposure to food-related cues, perceived stress and reactivity to food-related cues, and among executive function, reactivity to food-related cues, risk taking and adoption of health-related behaviours. For the pilot RCT, the effect of intervention on tendency of choosing healthy and low-calorie foods will be evaluated using logistic regression model with level of executive function and goal-priming intervention as the main between-group factors.
- Conditions
- Food Selection
- Being tested
- Priming intervention
- Medical subject headings
- Food Preferences
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Priming interventionBehavioural
The pilot RCT will ask participants to complete a simple word-searching exercise as a goal-priming of healthy eating and can be completed in 5 min.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Low EF with priming | Experimental | Participants will be first stratified by their Executive function (EF). In this arm, participants have low EF. They will play a puzzle task that will ask participants to take 5 min to search Chinese words for meaningful statements. Each statement represents an implicit goal of healthy eating. Receives: Behavioral: Priming intervention |
| Low EF without priming | No intervention | Participants will be first stratified by their Executive function (EF). In this arm, participants have low EF. They will play a similar puzzle task but the statements they searched are neutral. |
| High EF with priming | Experimental | Participants will be first stratified by their Executive function (EF). In this arm, participants have high EF. They will play a puzzle task that will ask participants to take 5 min to search Chinese words for meaningful statements. Each statement represents an implicit goal of healthy eating. Receives: Behavioral: Priming intervention |
| High EF without priming | No intervention | Participants will be first stratified by their Executive function (EF). In this arm, participants have high EF. They will play a similar puzzle task but the statements they searched are neutral. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
The effect of goal priming intervention on food choice
The name of measure: participants' tendency to choose different categories of foods
Measurement tool: the force food choice task
- The force food choice task evaluates participants' 'wanting' of foods with tempting cues. ("if you had to make a choice, which food would you most want to eat now?")
- Software: Survey responses and test data were recorded in Inquisit via the web or lab-based service.
Unit of measure: the frequency of food selections
Measured: Immediately after participants completing the tasks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted3 Jun 2021
- Study start24 Jun 2021
- Primary completion24 Oct 2024
- Study completion24 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Food SelectionStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by The University of Hong KongThe 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
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 126 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Hong Kong
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Qiuyan Liao, The University of Hong Kong
- Investigators
- Qiuyan Liao, PhD, Principal investigator, School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04912375
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2021effood
- Status last verified
- Mar 2025
- First submitted
- 27 May 2021
- Last updated
- 30 Mar 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 30 Mar 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Executive Function, Reactivity to Cues of Food Consumption: a Cohort Study in Young Adults
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04912375
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2021effood
- Conditions
- Food Selection
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 126 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- The University of Hong KongUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 24 Jun 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 24 Oct 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 24 Dec 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 3 Jun 2021 (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.
Background: Experimental and cross-sectional evidence suggests that poor executive function can lead to heightened reactivity to food cues and perceived greater reward of unhealthy but palatable foods and subsequently lead to overeating or clinical eating disorders. This may be an important reason for the increasing trend of obesity in our society.
Aims: This study will investigate the interrelationships among executive function, reactivity to food-related cues and eating style in young adults. In addition, this study will examine the influence of food environment and stress on reactivity to food-related cues and executive function and how executive function and reactivity to food-related cues would influence health risky behaviours in young adults. We will also conduct a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) to develop the culturally specific goal priming intervention for the Chinese adults and test its effect on decision-making for food choice among adults with low executive function.
Design and subjects: This will be a three-wave cohort study in young adults who are recruited in their final-year of first post-secondary education and follow-up at six months and 12 months after their graduation. For the pilot RCT, a 2 (low vs. high executive function) x 2 (with vs. without goal priming intervention) will be used to test the effect of goal priming intervention on food choice. The goal priming intervention will be 5-min word-searching task to prime goals of healthy eating.
Main outcome measures: Participants will be invited to complete a series on computerized tasks and other assessments online in each wave to assess their executive function, risk taking propensity, reactivity to food-related cues, perceived stress, exposure to food-related cues, eating style and other health-related behaviours. Structural equation modelling will be used to test the interrelationships among executive function, reactivity to food-related cues and eating style, among exposure to food-related cues, perceived stress and reactivity to food-related cues, and among executive function, reactivity to food-related cues, risk taking and adoption of health-related behaviours. For the pilot RCT, the effect of intervention on tendency of choosing healthy and low-calorie foods will be evaluated using logistic regression model with level of executive function and goal-priming intervention as the main between-group factors.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Low EF with priming | Experimental | Behavioral: Priming interventionParticipants will be first stratified by their Executive function (EF). In this arm, participants have low EF. They will play a puzzle task that will ask participants to take 5 min to search Chinese words for meaningful statements. Each statement represents an implicit goal of healthy eating. |
| Low EF without priming | No intervention | –Participants will be first stratified by their Executive function (EF). In this arm, participants have low EF. They will play a similar puzzle task but the statements they searched are neutral. |
| High EF with priming | Experimental | Behavioral: Priming interventionParticipants will be first stratified by their Executive function (EF). In this arm, participants have high EF. They will play a puzzle task that will ask participants to take 5 min to search Chinese words for meaningful statements. Each statement represents an implicit goal of healthy eating. |
| High EF without priming | No intervention | –Participants will be first stratified by their Executive function (EF). In this arm, participants have high EF. They will play a similar puzzle task but the statements they searched are neutral. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (2 listed)
- Healthy adults who can speak Chinese or Mandarin
- Aged between 18 and 30 years
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Having cognitive difficulties to understand the study instruments
- Having a physical or medical condition that requires certain food or dietary restrictions
- Having been diagnosed with any pathogenic eating disorders
- Participants whose subject is related to psychology
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Priming interventionThe pilot RCT will ask participants to complete a simple word-searching exercise as a goal-priming of healthy eating and can be completed in 5 min. | Behavioural | High EF with priming, Low EF with priming |
Primary outcome
The effect of goal priming intervention on food choice
Time frame: Immediately after participants completing the tasks
The name of measure: participants' tendency to choose different categories of foods Measurement tool: the force food choice task * The force food choice task evaluates participants' 'wanting' of foods with tempting cues. ("if you had to make a choice, which food would you most want to eat now?") * Software: Survey responses and test data were recorded in Inquisit via the web or lab-based service. Unit of measure: the frequency of food selections
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 30 Mar 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Related trials for Food Selection
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Influence of Social Media Ads on Food Choice - Master Protocol
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Optimization Trial to Empower sElection of Nutritious Foods
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Food Menu Labelling Effects on Individuals With Eating Disorders and Other Mental Health Conditions.
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RecruitingObservational study
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CKD, Chronic Kidney Disease (Stages 3b-5)
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.
Qiuyan Liao, PhD principal investigator
School of Public Health, University of Hong Kong
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Priming intervention in people with Food Selection, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in China.
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 4 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 30 Mar 2025. 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 China. 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?
The effect of goal priming intervention on food choice (time frame: Immediately after participants completing the tasks). 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 30 Mar 2025.