Type 2 DiabetesDG3DNCT04981847
The Dietary Guidelines 3 Diets Study
A study testing Dietary Intervention Meetings in people with Type 2 Diabetes, run by University of South Carolina at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this project is to use a two-stepped study to examine both the adoption of the three dietary patterns as presented by the United States Dietary Guidelines (USDG) and testing of a refined, culturally tailored one-year intervention examining the three diet patterns. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Type 2 Diabetes
- What is being tested?
- Dietary Intervention Meetings
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 63 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Aug 2021to 23 Jun 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- 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 18 to 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 18-65 years of age
- BMI between 25- 49.9 kg/m2
- self-identify as African American
- live in the Columbia, SC area
- be able to attend all monitoring visits
- be willing to be randomized to either condition and be re-randomized if non-responsive
- be free of major health or psychiatric diseases, drug or alcohol dependency, thyroid conditions, diabetes, or pregnancy
Who cannot join
- should not be pregnant (or have been pregnant in the last 6 months), anticipating on becoming pregnant in the next 24 months, or currently breastfeeding
- o Women who are pregnant should not be pursuing weight loss and should be under the direct care of a physician. Therefore women who are pregnant or who are anticipating they might be pregnant should not participate in this study. If a woman becomes pregnant during the study, she will be advised to consult with her healthcare provider and will be dropped from the weight loss study.
- should be free of an eating disorder as screened by the Eating disorder Screen for Primary care [ESP]. (If a participant has an eating disorder, they will be given contact information for the eating disorder clinic at the University of South Carolina)
- no current participation in a weight loss program or taking weight loss medications (although participants may be trying to lose weight on their own)
- no recent or planned bariatric surgery
- no recent weight loss (>10 lbs in the last 6 months)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
University of South Carolina
Columbia, South Carolina, 29208
About this study
Official title: Ensuring the Cultural Relevance of Dietary Guidelines Diet Patterns Among African Americans: Increasing Dietary Quality and Reducing Type 2 Diabetes Risk
The goal of this project is to use a two-stepped study to examine both the adoption of the three dietary patterns as presented by the United States Dietary Guidelines (USDG) and testing of a refined, culturally tailored one-year intervention examining the three diet patterns. For this study, African American adult participants with overweight/obesity and ≥three type 2 diabetes (T2DM) risk factors will be recruited to participate in this two-step study. This present study is for our Step 1: formative pilot work to culturally-tailor a dietary intervention of the three healthy eating patterns presented by the USDG for 12 weeks: 1) U.S.-Style, 2) Mediterranean, or 3) Vegetarian.
Read the detailed description
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines (USDG) form the basis of federal nutrition programs and policy and provide valuable guidance to health initiatives and industries. The updated 2015 USDG moved away from a focus on individual nutrients to a greater focus on dietary patterns. The USDG state that healthy eating goals can be met through a variety of dietary patterns, but present healthy diet in three main ways: 1) Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, 2) Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern, and 3) Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern. Currently, US adults are falling short of the nutrition recommendations (fruit/vegetable intake, greens/beans, whole grains, etc.) set forth by the USDG and measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). While the USDG are the basis of nutrition guidelines, the research informing these dietary pattern recommendations has largely been drawn from observational studies among mostly white populations. In addition, there has been very limited cultural tailoring of these dietary patterns that would ensure that these diets are acceptable to diverse populations, in particular, African Americans (AAs) living in the south, who experience a disproportionate burden of chronic disease, especially type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Currently, US adults are not meeting nutrition recommendations (fruit/vegetable, whole grains, etc.) set forth by the USDG and measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI).
For the present study, AA adult participants with overweight/obesity and ≥three T2DM risk factors will be recruited to participate in the following aims:
Aim 1: Conduct a 3-month randomized trial among AAs comparing adoption of the 3 dietary patterns [1) US, 2) Med, or 3) Veg] using existing materials from the USDG and examine differences in diet quality (HEI) and T2DM risk factors (weight, HgbA1c).
Aim 2: Drawing on participants' experiences in Aim 1, conduct qualitative work to refine and culturally tailor the dietary pattern intervention for an AA audience.
- Conditions
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Being tested
- Dietary Intervention Meetings
- Medical subject headings
- Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Dietary Intervention MeetingsBehavioural
Participants will attend classes once per week for 3 months.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| US Healthy Diet | Experimental | Participants in this group will be assigned to follow the Healthy US dietary pattern as presented by the US Dietary Guidelines. As described here https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/usda-food-patterns: This eating pattern is based on the types and amounts of foods Americans typically consume. The main types of food in this eating pattern include a variety of vegetables; fruits; whole grains; fat-free or low-fat dairy; seafood, poultry, meat, and eggs; and nuts, seeds, and soy products. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary Intervention Meetings |
| Mediterranean diet | Experimental | Participants in this group will be assigned to follow the Mediterranean dietary pattern as presented by the US Dietary Guidelines. As described here https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/usda-food-patterns: This eating pattern contains more fruits and seafood and less dairy than the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern. There is also less calcium and vitamin D because it includes fewer dairy foods. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary Intervention Meetings |
| Vegetarian diet | Experimental | Participants in this group will be assigned to follow the Vegetarian dietary pattern as presented by the US Dietary Guidelines. As described here https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/usda-food-patterns: This eating pattern contains no meat, poultry, or seafood. Compared with the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, it contains more soy products, eggs, beans and peas, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary Intervention Meetings |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Delta Dietary Quality
Change in Healthy Eating Index (HEI) total score was calculated as 3-month follow-up score minus baseline score. HEI total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better diet quality and greater adherence to dietary guidelines. The change score could potentially range from -100 to +100. Positive change scores indicate improvement in diet quality, whereas negative change scores indicate worsening diet quality. HEI total scores were calculated from three averaged 24-hour dietary recalls collected at each time point using the National Cancer Institute's Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Recall (ASA24).
Measured: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Delta Body Weight
Change in body weight from baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Measured: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Delta Hemoglobin A1c
Change in HgbA1c from baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Measured: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Secondary outcomes (2)
Delta Systolic Blood Pressure
Change in systolic blood pressure from baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Measured: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Delta Diastolic Blood Pressure
Change in diastolic blood pressure from baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Measured: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Jul 2021
- Study start1 Aug 2021
- Primary completion23 Jun 2025
- Study completion23 Jun 2025
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 (2)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Type 2 DiabetesStudies 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
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 63 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of South Carolina
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Brie Turner-McGrievy, University of South Carolina
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04981847
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- Pro00105836
- Acronym
- DG3D
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 27 Jul 2021
- Last updated
- 15 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided: To be determined
Publications
Turner-McGrievy G, Wirth MD, Okpara N, Jones M, Kim Y, Wilcox S, Friedman DB, Sarzynski MA, Liese AD. Similar changes in diet quality indices, but not nutrients, among African American participants randomized to follow one of the three dietary patterns of the US Dietary Guidelines: A secondary analysis. Nutr Res. 2024 Nov;131:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.09.005. Epub 2024 Sep 7.
PubMed 39366028Turner-McGrievy GM, Wilson MJ, Carswell J, Okpara N, Aydin H, Bailey S, Davey M, Hutto B, Wilcox S, Friedman DB, Sarzynski MA, Liese AD. A 12-Week Randomized Intervention Comparing the Healthy US, Mediterranean, and Vegetarian Dietary Patterns of the US Dietary Guidelines for Changes in Body Weight, Hemoglobin A1c, Blood Pressure, and Dietary Quality among African American Adults. J Nutr. 2023 Feb;153(2):579-587. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.11.020. Epub 2022 Dec 23.
PubMed 36894249
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 15 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Ensuring the Cultural Relevance of Dietary Guidelines Diet Patterns Among African Americans: Increasing Dietary Quality and Reducing Type 2 Diabetes Risk
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT04981847
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DG3D / Pro00105836
- Conditions
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 63 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of South CarolinaUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Aug 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 23 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 23 Jun 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Jul 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 15 Jun 2026
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this project is to use a two-stepped study to examine both the adoption of the three dietary patterns as presented by the United States Dietary Guidelines (USDG) and testing of a refined, culturally tailored one-year intervention examining the three diet patterns. For this study, African American adult participants with overweight/obesity and ≥three type 2 diabetes (T2DM) risk factors will be recruited to participate in this two-step study. This present study is for our Step 1: formative pilot work to culturally-tailor a dietary intervention of the three healthy eating patterns presented by the USDG for 12 weeks: 1) U.S.-Style, 2) Mediterranean, or 3) Vegetarian.
Detailed description
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines (USDG) form the basis of federal nutrition programs and policy and provide valuable guidance to health initiatives and industries. The updated 2015 USDG moved away from a focus on individual nutrients to a greater focus on dietary patterns. The USDG state that healthy eating goals can be met through a variety of dietary patterns, but present healthy diet in three main ways: 1) Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, 2) Healthy Mediterranean-Style Eating Pattern, and 3) Healthy Vegetarian Eating Pattern. Currently, US adults are falling short of the nutrition recommendations (fruit/vegetable intake, greens/beans, whole grains, etc.) set forth by the USDG and measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI). While the USDG are the basis of nutrition guidelines, the research informing these dietary pattern recommendations has largely been drawn from observational studies among mostly white populations. In addition, there has been very limited cultural tailoring of these dietary patterns that would ensure that these diets are acceptable to diverse populations, in particular, African Americans (AAs) living in the south, who experience a disproportionate burden of chronic disease, especially type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Currently, US adults are not meeting nutrition recommendations (fruit/vegetable, whole grains, etc.) set forth by the USDG and measured by the Healthy Eating Index (HEI).
For the present study, AA adult participants with overweight/obesity and ≥three T2DM risk factors will be recruited to participate in the following aims:
Aim 1: Conduct a 3-month randomized trial among AAs comparing adoption of the 3 dietary patterns [1) US, 2) Med, or 3) Veg] using existing materials from the USDG and examine differences in diet quality (HEI) and T2DM risk factors (weight, HgbA1c).
Aim 2: Drawing on participants' experiences in Aim 1, conduct qualitative work to refine and culturally tailor the dietary pattern intervention for an AA audience.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| US Healthy Diet | Experimental | Behavioral: Dietary Intervention MeetingsParticipants in this group will be assigned to follow the Healthy US dietary pattern as presented by the US Dietary Guidelines. As described here https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/usda-food-patterns: This eating pattern is based on the types and amounts of foods Americans typically consume. The main types of food in this eating pattern include a variety of vegetables; fruits; whole grains; fat-free or low-fat dairy; seafood, poultry, meat, and eggs; and nuts, seeds, and soy products. |
| Mediterranean diet | Experimental | Behavioral: Dietary Intervention MeetingsParticipants in this group will be assigned to follow the Mediterranean dietary pattern as presented by the US Dietary Guidelines. As described here https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/usda-food-patterns: This eating pattern contains more fruits and seafood and less dairy than the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern. There is also less calcium and vitamin D because it includes fewer dairy foods. |
| Vegetarian diet | Experimental | Behavioral: Dietary Intervention MeetingsParticipants in this group will be assigned to follow the Vegetarian dietary pattern as presented by the US Dietary Guidelines. As described here https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/usda-food-patterns: This eating pattern contains no meat, poultry, or seafood. Compared with the Healthy U.S.-Style Eating Pattern, it contains more soy products, eggs, beans and peas, nuts and seeds, and whole grains. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (7 listed)
- 18-65 years of age
- BMI between 25- 49.9 kg/m2
- self-identify as African American
- live in the Columbia, SC area
- be able to attend all monitoring visits
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- should not be pregnant (or have been pregnant in the last 6 months), anticipating on becoming pregnant in the next 24 months, or currently breastfeeding
- o Women who are pregnant should not be pursuing weight loss and should be under the direct care of a physician. Therefore women who are pregnant or who are anticipating they might be pregnant should not participate in this study. If a woman becomes pregnant during the study, she will be advised to consult with her healthcare provider and will be dropped from the weight loss study.
- should be free of an eating disorder as screened by the Eating disorder Screen for Primary care [ESP]. (If a participant has an eating disorder, they will be given contact information for the eating disorder clinic at the University of South Carolina)
- no current participation in a weight loss program or taking weight loss medications (although participants may be trying to lose weight on their own)
- no recent or planned bariatric surgery
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 Intervention MeetingsParticipants will attend classes once per week for 3 months. | Behavioural | Mediterranean diet, US Healthy Diet, Vegetarian diet |
Primary outcome
Delta Dietary Quality
Time frame: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Change in Healthy Eating Index (HEI) total score was calculated as 3-month follow-up score minus baseline score. HEI total scores range from 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating better diet quality and greater adherence to dietary guidelines. The change score could potentially range from -100 to +100. Positive change scores indicate improvement in diet quality, whereas negative change scores indicate worsening diet quality. HEI total scores were calculated from three averaged 24-hour dietary recalls collected at each time point using the National Cancer Institute's Automated Self-Administered 24-hour Dietary Recall (ASA24).
Delta Body Weight
Time frame: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Change in body weight from baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Delta Hemoglobin A1c
Time frame: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Change in HgbA1c from baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
2 secondary outcomes
Delta Systolic Blood Pressure
Time frame: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Delta Diastolic Blood Pressure
Time frame: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 15 Jun 2026.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 39366028Turner-McGrievy G, Wirth MD, Okpara N, Jones M, Kim Y, Wilcox S, Friedman DB, Sarzynski MA, Liese AD. Similar changes in diet quality indices, but not nutrients, among African American participants randomized to follow one of the three dietary patterns of the US Dietary Guidelines: A secondary analysis. Nutr Res. 2024 Nov;131:27-38. doi: 10.1016/j.nutres.2024.09.005. Epub 2024 Sep 7.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 36894249Turner-McGrievy GM, Wilson MJ, Carswell J, Okpara N, Aydin H, Bailey S, Davey M, Hutto B, Wilcox S, Friedman DB, Sarzynski MA, Liese AD. A 12-Week Randomized Intervention Comparing the Healthy US, Mediterranean, and Vegetarian Dietary Patterns of the US Dietary Guidelines for Changes in Body Weight, Hemoglobin A1c, Blood Pressure, and Dietary Quality among African American Adults. J Nutr. 2023 Feb;153(2):579-587. doi: 10.1016/j.tjnut.2022.11.020. Epub 2022 Dec 23.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided. To be determined
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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.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Dietary Intervention Meetings in people with Type 2 Diabetes, run by University of South Carolina 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 7 inclusion and 6 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 15 Jun 2026. 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 15 Jun 2026). 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?
Delta Dietary Quality (time frame: From baseline to the end of the intervention at 3 months). 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?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04981847, which also lists 2 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 15 Jun 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 28 Oct 2026.