NutritionNCT06833736
A Health App Using Recipes and Education Components to Facilitate Sustainable and Healthier Diets.
A study testing App, App + messages and General information in people with Nutrition and Sustainability, run by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
This study is a pilot trial of a smartphone app to promote sustainable and healthy eating, running for 10 weeks. The app aims to promote general wellbeing in the working population. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Nutrition, Sustainability, Mobile Health Technology (mHealth)
- What is being tested?
- App, App + messages and General information
- Type of treatment
- Medical device, Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 147 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 5 Feb 2025to 14 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 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- Have a personal (not work) smartphone
- Have access to WiFi at home
- Have an out-of-home data package
- Be 18 years of age or older
Who cannot join
- Underweight for their age and gender
- Follow a restrictive diet (e.g., pregnant, breastfeeding, food intolerant/allergic, attempting to lose weight, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other long-term disease including eating disorders)
- Have a mental disability or learning difficulty
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United Kingdom1 site
London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine
London
About this study
Official title: Feasibility and Acceptability of a Digital Health App to Facilitate More Sustainable and Healthier Diets: Protocol for a Pilot Trial.
This study is a pilot trial of a smartphone app to promote sustainable and healthy eating, running for 10 weeks. The app aims to promote general wellbeing in the working population. The investigators are interested in the feasibility and acceptability of the plant-based recipes and information pages, so the focus will be on how people engage with these features and how they meet their needs.
Participants will be randomised into three groups:
Read more
- General information (no app).
- Standard app (app as it stands).
- Enhanced app with recipes and behaviour change recommendations (app + messages).
Data on demographics and food choice will be collected at the start and end of the intervention. A subset of participants will also take part in short interviews to talk about their experiences.
Read the detailed description
Overall aim:
This pilot trial aims to understand the feasibility and acceptability of a health and wellbeing app. The main focus is around the plant-based recipes and information pages delivered through the chat functionality.
Specific objectives:
The primary objective is to understand the feasibility and acceptability of setting up and running a trial with the app, focusing on the reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. The secondary objectives are to explore the indicative efficacy of the app in facilitating more sustainable and healthier diets, measured by a change in meat and legume intake, to what extent the recipes and information pages contribute to this effect, and whether there is a relationship between the self-perceived capabilities, opportunities and motivations to consume a sustainable and healthier diet.
Intervention:
The overall aim of the app is to enhance general wellbeing. The information pages contain general information on certain aspects of diets for health and sustainability. The recipes are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and vary in their composition of healthy and sustainable foods.
Sample size:
The target sample size will be 99 (33 per arm), which will account for the possibility of 40% dropout in the first two weeks, which is typical for smartphone apps, and would still suffice the rule of thumb for 25 per group to be included in a pilot study to yield a small standardised effect size.
Outcomes:
Outcomes (and data) that will be collected and include 1) programme reach (population characteristics), 2) adoption of the app (participation and retention rates), 3) acceptability of the intervention (engagement with and usefulness of the app features), 4) implementation of delivering the intervention (compliance), 5) maintenance of the intervention (participant and organizational sustainability), and 6) efficacy of the intervention (indications of change in behavioural determinants and behaviours).
- Being tested
- App, App + messages, General information
- Keywords
- Nutrition, Diet, Sustainability, Sustainable diets, Healthy eating, mHealth, Mobile apps, Behaviour change, Intervention, Recipe analysis, Acceptability, Feasibility, Randomised controlled trial, Pilot trial
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
AppDevice
As the app has not been evaluated before in terms of its impact on dietary change, the first intervention group will have the app as it stands. The overall aim of the app is to improve general wellbeing across several health-related domains, which is achieved through engaging with its main features (the daily plan, journal, user profile, and chat function).
App + messagesDevice
The plant-forward recipes and information pages available on the app will be made more salient for app users in this group through sending them via targeted messages in the chat function at specific times. Each day, the information pages will be sent at 09:30 and the recipes will be sent at 13:00.
General informationBehavioural
The (no app) control group will be sent general health and sustainability information via email immediately after randomisation is done. To incentivise participation in both baseline and follow-up assessments, the control group will be offered lifetime access to the app and a summary of their self-reported food intake at week 10. The control group will be sent one email reminder halfway through (week 5) to remind them that they are involved in the study, provide them with instructions on the follow-up assessment, and that they will receive the intervention and dietary feedback at week 10.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Control group | Active comparator | Not described Receives: Behavioral: General information |
| Intervention group 1 | Experimental | Not described Receives: Device: App |
| Intervention group 2 | Experimental | Not described Receives: Device: App + messages |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Adherence to intervention
Number of days participants log on to the app, measured using the app analytics
Measured: From enrolment to the end of the intervention at 8 weeks
Secondary outcomes (2)
Change in legume intake
Self-reported dietary intake from two 24h dietary recalls, averaged into portions per day
Measured: Enrolment and at the end of the intervention at 8 weeks
Change in meat intake
Self-reported dietary intake from two 24h dietary recalls, averaged into portions per day
Measured: Enrolment and at the end of the intervention at 8 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted19 Feb 2025
- Study start5 Feb 2025
- Primary completion14 Jul 2025
- Study completion14 Jul 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for NutritionStudies 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
- 147 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06833736
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 28317
- Other IDs
- 204000
- Status last verified
- Feb 2025
- First submitted
- 10 Feb 2025
- Last updated
- 10 Mar 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: The investigators plan to upload IPD and related data dictionaries available on LSHTM's data repository called Data Compass.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 10 Mar 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Feasibility and Acceptability of a Digital Health App to Facilitate More Sustainable and Healthier Diets: Protocol for a Pilot Trial.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06833736
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 28317
- Keywords
- Nutrition, Diet, Sustainability, Sustainable diets, Healthy eating, mHealth, Mobile apps, Behaviour change
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 147 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- London School of Hygiene and Tropical MedicineUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 5 Feb 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 14 Jul 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 14 Jul 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 19 Feb 2025 (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 study is a pilot trial of a smartphone app to promote sustainable and healthy eating, running for 10 weeks. The app aims to promote general wellbeing in the working population. The investigators are interested in the feasibility and acceptability of the plant-based recipes and information pages, so the focus will be on how people engage with these features and how they meet their needs.
Participants will be randomised into three groups:
- General information (no app).
- Standard app (app as it stands).
- Enhanced app with recipes and behaviour change recommendations (app + messages).
Data on demographics and food choice will be collected at the start and end of the intervention. A subset of participants will also take part in short interviews to talk about their experiences.
Detailed description
Overall aim:
This pilot trial aims to understand the feasibility and acceptability of a health and wellbeing app. The main focus is around the plant-based recipes and information pages delivered through the chat functionality.
Specific objectives:
The primary objective is to understand the feasibility and acceptability of setting up and running a trial with the app, focusing on the reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance. The secondary objectives are to explore the indicative efficacy of the app in facilitating more sustainable and healthier diets, measured by a change in meat and legume intake, to what extent the recipes and information pages contribute to this effect, and whether there is a relationship between the self-perceived capabilities, opportunities and motivations to consume a sustainable and healthier diet.
Intervention:
The overall aim of the app is to enhance general wellbeing. The information pages contain general information on certain aspects of diets for health and sustainability. The recipes are available for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and vary in their composition of healthy and sustainable foods.
Sample size:
The target sample size will be 99 (33 per arm), which will account for the possibility of 40% dropout in the first two weeks, which is typical for smartphone apps, and would still suffice the rule of thumb for 25 per group to be included in a pilot study to yield a small standardised effect size.
Outcomes:
Outcomes (and data) that will be collected and include 1) programme reach (population characteristics), 2) adoption of the app (participation and retention rates), 3) acceptability of the intervention (engagement with and usefulness of the app features), 4) implementation of delivering the intervention (compliance), 5) maintenance of the intervention (participant and organizational sustainability), and 6) efficacy of the intervention (indications of change in behavioural determinants and behaviours).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Control group | Active comparator | Behavioral: General information |
| Intervention group 1 | Experimental | Device: App |
| Intervention group 2 | Experimental | Device: App + messages |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Have a personal (not work) smartphone
- Have access to WiFi at home
- Have an out-of-home data package
- Be 18 years of age or older
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Underweight for their age and gender
- Follow a restrictive diet (e.g., pregnant, breastfeeding, food intolerant/allergic, attempting to lose weight, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or other long-term disease including eating disorders)
- Have a mental disability or learning difficulty
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 |
|---|---|---|
| AppAs the app has not been evaluated before in terms of its impact on dietary change, the first intervention group will have the app as it stands. The overall aim of the app is to improve general wellbeing across several health-related domains, which is achieved through engaging with its main features (the daily plan, journal, user profile, and chat function). | Device | Intervention group 1 |
| App + messagesThe plant-forward recipes and information pages available on the app will be made more salient for app users in this group through sending them via targeted messages in the chat function at specific times. Each day, the information pages will be sent at 09:30 and the recipes will be sent at 13:00. | Device | Intervention group 2 |
| General informationThe (no app) control group will be sent general health and sustainability information via email immediately after randomisation is done. To incentivise participation in both baseline and follow-up assessments, the control group will be offered lifetime access to the app and a summary of their self-reported food intake at week 10. The control group will be sent one email reminder halfway through (week 5) to remind them that they are involved in the study, provide them with instructions on the follow-up assessment, and that they will receive the intervention and dietary feedback at week 10. | Behavioural | Control group |
Primary outcome
Adherence to intervention
Time frame: From enrolment to the end of the intervention at 8 weeks
Number of days participants log on to the app, measured using the app analytics
2 secondary outcomes
Change in legume intake
Time frame: Enrolment and at the end of the intervention at 8 weeks
Change in meat intake
Time frame: Enrolment and at the end of the intervention at 8 weeks
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 10 Mar 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. The investigators plan to upload IPD and related data dictionaries available on LSHTM's data repository called Data Compass.
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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 App, App + messages and General information in people with Nutrition and Sustainability, run by London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine 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 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 10 Mar 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?
Adherence to intervention (time frame: From enrolment to the end of the intervention at 8 weeks). 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 10 Mar 2026.