Dietary BehaviourNCT05932329
Reducing Free Sugar Intakes: A Role for Sweet Taste II
A study testing Dietary Advice in people with Dietary Behaviour, run by Bournemouth University at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice for reducing free sugar intakes, on intakes of free sugar, in a sample of the UK population. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Dietary Behaviour
- What is being tested?
- Dietary Advice
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 72 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 Jul 2023to 31 Jul 2025
- 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 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- aged 18-65 years;
- able to provide consent and complete all study materials;
- consuming >5% of TEI from free sugars;
- residing in the South of England, and able to attend Bournemouth University for testing.
Who cannot join
- individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding;
- underweight (BMI <18.5);
- have pre-existing clinical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, eating disorders, Crohn's disease and other illness's leading to participants receiving external nutritional advice and dietary restrictions;
- have pre-existing medical conditions affecting swallow ability, taste and smell perception;
- currently following a specific dietary programme (e.g.: Slimming World);
- current smokers or have smoked within 3 months of the study start date.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United Kingdom1 site
Bournemouth University
Bournemouth, US and Canada Only, BH12 5BB
About this study
This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice for reducing free sugar intakes, on intakes of free sugar, in a sample of the UK population.
Read the detailed description
The primary objective of this randomised controlled trial is to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice, for reducing total energy intakes (TEI) of free sugars. A total of 150 participants (age 18-65 years) consuming diets >5% total energy intake from dietary free sugars will be recruited from across the Dorset region. All participants will be asked to reduce their free sugar intake to <5% TEI, and to aid with this, they will be encouraged to reduce their intakes of specific foods identified as high in free sugars. Participants will also be advised to replace these foods with other foods dependent on their taste. Participants will be randomised to replace high sugar foods with: 1) foods that are low in sugars, but high in sweet taste; 2) food that are low in sugars, but high in other tastes; and 3) foods that are low in taste. The primary outcome will be changes in free sugar consumption from baseline to endpoint at week 4. Secondary outcomes will include change in: BMI; dietary profiles; sweetness preference; sweetness liking; food choices; low calorie sweetened food intakes and adherence levels at week 4.
- Conditions
- Dietary Behaviour
- Being tested
- Dietary Advice
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Dietary AdviceBehavioural
Dietary Advice provided
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet Taste | Active comparator | The intervention will be provided to participants in written form, in an opaque sealed envelope. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary Advice |
| Taste | Active comparator | The intervention will be provided to participants in written form, in an opaque sealed envelope. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary Advice |
| No Taste | Active comparator | The intervention will be provided to participants in written form, in an opaque sealed envelope. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary Advice |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Free sugar intakes
Percentage energy intake from free sugars, assessed using diet diaries
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Adherence
Adherence to the recommendations provided, assessed using diet diaries and self-reported adherence
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Secondary outcomes (13)
Dietary Intakes
Nutrient composition and taste of dietary intakes, assessed using diet diaries
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Body weight
Body weight, in kg, assessed using researcher measurements
Measured: Baseline to week 4
BMI
BMI, in kg/m2, assessed using researcher measurements
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Waist circumference
Waist circumference, in cm, assessed using researcher measurements
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Body fat percentage
Body fat percentage, assessed using bioimpedence, as conducted by the researcher measurements
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food preferences
Preferences for various sweet foods/fluids, assessed using a taste test, where participants sample several sweet and non-sweet foods and rate them for pleasantness on a 100mm Visual Analogue Scale. Higher scores signify stronger preferences
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food perceptions
Perceptions of the strength of sweet taste for various sweet foods/fluids, assessed using a taste test, where participants sample several sweet and non-sweet foods and rate them for strength of taste on a 100mm Visual Analogue Scale. Higher scores signify stronger perceptions
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food intakes
Selection of sweet foods/fluids at a given meal, assessed where participants can consume freely from a meal composed of sweet and non-sweet foods, and proportion of sweet foods consumed is measured in terms of weight consumed
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food attitudes
Attitudes towards sugar, sweeteners, and sweet-tasting foods, assessed using a questionnaire, soon to be published. Higher scores denote stronger attitudes.
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Adverse events
Adverse events, assessed by self-report
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Eating-based attitudes
Attitudes towards eating, assessed using the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire (Karlsson J, et al. IJO 2000; 24: 1715-1725)
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Subjective Quality of Life
Quality of Life, measured using the SF-36 questionnaire (Ware et al, 1996), where Quality of Life is assessed out of 100, where a higher score demonstrates better quality of life
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Barriers and facilitators to success
An assessment of barriers and facilitators to success, assessed by self-report questionnaire
Measured: Baseline to week 4
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted6 Jul 2023
- Study start1 Jul 2023
- Primary completion22 Dec 2023
- Study completion31 Jul 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Dietary BehaviourStudies 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
- Model description
- randomized intervention design
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 72 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Bournemouth University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Katherine M Appleton, Principal investigator, Bournemouth University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05932329
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- RFSII2023
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 27 Jun 2023
- Last updated
- 25 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Anonymised data will be shared with other researchers on reasonable request.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 25 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Reducing Free Sugar Intakes: A Role for Sweet Taste II
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05932329
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- RFSII2023
- Conditions
- Dietary Behaviour
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 72 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Bournemouth UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Jul 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 22 Dec 2023 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 6 Jul 2023 (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.
This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice for reducing free sugar intakes, on intakes of free sugar, in a sample of the UK population.
Detailed description
The primary objective of this randomised controlled trial is to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice, for reducing total energy intakes (TEI) of free sugars. A total of 150 participants (age 18-65 years) consuming diets >5% total energy intake from dietary free sugars will be recruited from across the Dorset region. All participants will be asked to reduce their free sugar intake to <5% TEI, and to aid with this, they will be encouraged to reduce their intakes of specific foods identified as high in free sugars. Participants will also be advised to replace these foods with other foods dependent on their taste. Participants will be randomised to replace high sugar foods with: 1) foods that are low in sugars, but high in sweet taste; 2) food that are low in sugars, but high in other tastes; and 3) foods that are low in taste. The primary outcome will be changes in free sugar consumption from baseline to endpoint at week 4. Secondary outcomes will include change in: BMI; dietary profiles; sweetness preference; sweetness liking; food choices; low calorie sweetened food intakes and adherence levels at week 4.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- randomized intervention design
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet Taste | Active comparator | Behavioral: Dietary AdviceThe intervention will be provided to participants in written form, in an opaque sealed envelope. |
| Taste | Active comparator | Behavioral: Dietary AdviceThe intervention will be provided to participants in written form, in an opaque sealed envelope. |
| No Taste | Active comparator | Behavioral: Dietary AdviceThe intervention will be provided to participants in written form, in an opaque sealed envelope. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- aged 18-65 years;
- able to provide consent and complete all study materials;
- consuming >5% of TEI from free sugars;
- residing in the South of England, and able to attend Bournemouth University for testing.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- individuals who are pregnant or breastfeeding;
- underweight (BMI <18.5);
- have pre-existing clinical conditions such as diabetes mellitus, eating disorders, Crohn's disease and other illness's leading to participants receiving external nutritional advice and dietary restrictions;
- have pre-existing medical conditions affecting swallow ability, taste and smell perception;
- currently following a specific dietary programme (e.g.: Slimming World);
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 AdviceDietary Advice provided | Behavioural | No Taste, Sweet Taste, Taste |
Primary outcome
Free sugar intakes
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Percentage energy intake from free sugars, assessed using diet diaries
Adherence
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Adherence to the recommendations provided, assessed using diet diaries and self-reported adherence
13 secondary outcomes
Dietary Intakes
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Body weight
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
BMI
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Waist circumference
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Body fat percentage
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food preferences
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food perceptions
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food intakes
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Sweet food attitudes
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Adverse events
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Eating-based attitudes
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Subjective Quality of Life
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
Barriers and facilitators to success
Time frame: Baseline to week 4
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 25 Jun 2026.
- This study is linked to study registration NCT05684757Link provided by the sponsor.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Anonymised data will be shared with other researchers on reasonable request.
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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.
Katherine M Appleton principal investigator
Bournemouth University
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 Advice in people with Dietary Behaviour, run by Bournemouth University at 1 site in United Kingdom.
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 4 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 25 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 Kingdom. 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?
Free sugar intakes (time frame: Baseline to week 4). The study lists 2 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 25 Jun 2026.