Dietary BehaviorNCT06925932
This Trial Aims to Assess the Effects of Three Different Taste-based Dietary Recommendations for Reducing Free Sugar Intakes on Free Sugar Consumption in UK High Free Sugar Consumers
A study testing Dietary advice - Sweet taste, Dietary advice - Taste and Dietary advice - No taste in people with Dietary Behavior and Free Sugar, run by Bournemouth University at 1 site in United Kingdom.
Trial summary
This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in UK high free sugar consumers. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Dietary Behavior, Free Sugar, Sweet Taste
- What is being tested?
- Dietary advice - Sweet taste, Dietary advice - Taste and Dietary advice - No taste
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 180 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited Kingdom
- Study dates
- 1 May 2025to 30 Sep 2027
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
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
- Age 18 and over
- Consuming more than 10% total daily energy from free sugars (-3% for testing error)
- Residing in the South of England, and able to attend Bournemouth University for testing (Talbot Campus, BH12 5BB)
- Able to provide consent and complete all study-related measures
Who cannot join
- Being a smoker or having smoked in the last 3 months
- Being pregnant or breastfeeding
- Being underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²)
- Dieting or following a specific diet program (e.g., Weight Watchers, Keto diet, or Intermittent Fasting)
- Following a specific diet or nutritional advice as a result of pre-existing medical condition (e.g., Crohn's disease, diabetes)
- Having a pre-existing medical condition or taking medication that could affect taste and/or smell abilities (e.g., certain blood pressure and heart medications)
- Allergies to foods and drinks used in the study
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
About this study
Official title: Reducing Free Sugar Intakes - The Role of Sweet Taste III
This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in UK high free sugar consumers.
Read the detailed description
This 12-week, 3-arm randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based food and beverage substitution instructions for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in high free sugar consumers. A total of 180 adult community members residing in Bournemouth and the surrounding areas will be recruited. All participants will be asked to reduce their intakes of free sugar and replace sweet, high-free sugar foods and beverages with either: 1) sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars; 2) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are high in other tasty flavours; and 3) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are also low in other flavours. The primary outcome of interest is the changes in free sugar intakes from baseline to endpoint. Secondary outcomes include a range of dietary and biopsychosocial outcomes, sweet taste perceptions and sweet food and beverage intakes, as well as compliance with and evaluation of the dietary recommendation received.
- Conditions
- Dietary Behavior, Free Sugar, Sweet Taste
- Being tested
- Dietary advice - Sweet taste, Dietary advice - Taste, Dietary advice - No taste
- Keywords
- dietary behavior, free sugar, sweet taste
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Dietary advice - Sweet tasteBehavioural
Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners.
Dietary advice - TasteBehavioural
Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices.
Dietary advice - No tasteBehavioural
Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet taste arm | Active comparator | Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary advice - Sweet taste |
| Taste arm | Active comparator | Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary advice - Taste |
| No taste arm | Active comparator | Description: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks. Receives: Behavioral: Dietary advice - No taste |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Free sugar intakes
Percentage total energy intake (%TEI) from free sugars, measured using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Adherence
Adherence with the dietary advice received will be assessed by self-report using online surveys.
Measured: week 3 to week 12
Secondary outcomes (15)
Energy intake and diet composition
Energy intake and nutrient composition of dietary intakes, measured using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Body weight
Weight, in kilograms, assessed using standard digital scales.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Waist circumference
Waist circumference, in centimeters, measured using standard flexible tape measure.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Body fat percentage
Body fat percentage assessed using a bioimpedance scale.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Body mass index
Body mass index assessed using a standard kg/m2 measurement.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Fasted blood glucose
Fasted blood glucose (min 8h fast), in millimoles per litre, assessed using a prick-a-finger method and a blood glucose monitor.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Sweet food and beverage preferences
Preferences for sweet foods and beverages will be assessed using a taste perception test. Participants will taste commercially available several sweet and non-sweet foods and beverages and indicate how pleasant these are and how much they desire to eat these using 0-100 visual analogue scales. Higher scores indicate greater pleasantness and desire to eat.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Sweet food and beverage perceptions
Preferences of the sweet taste intensity will be assessed using a taste perception test. Participants will taste several commercially available sweet and non-sweet foods and beverages and indicate their sweetness intensity using 0-100 visual analogue scales. Higher scores indicate greater perceived sweetness intensity.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Sweet food and beverage choice
Sweet food and beverage choice will be assessed using a breakfast meal. A wide selection of commercially available sweet and non-sweet breakfast foods and beverages will be presented, with participants free to choose what and how much they consume. Sweet food and beverage choices will be measured as the weight consumed during the breakfast meal. A take-home beverage will also be offered from a selection of sweet and non-sweet beverages with the choice recorded.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Dietary advice evaluation
Evaluation of and perceptions of the dietary advice received will be assessed by self-report using individual questions using online surveys.
Measured: week 3 to week 12
Sweet attitudes
Attitudes toward sugars, sweeteners, and sweet foods will be assessed using the Sweet Talk Questionnaire in six domains. The higher the score in a given domain, the more prevalent the attitude.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Self-reported quality of life
Physical and psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey. Higher scores indicate greater quality of life.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Attitudes towards eating
General attitudes towards eating will be assessed using the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire in three domains. The higher the score in a given domain, the more prevalent the behaviour.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Dietary knowledge
Knowledge of dietary and sugar recommendations will be assessed via self-report using specific indvidual questions in an online questionnaire.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Adverse events
Adverse events will be assessed via self-report.
Measured: Baseline to week 12
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted13 Apr 2025
- Study start1 May 2025
- Primary completion31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Sep 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Dietary BehaviorStudies 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
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 180 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Bournemouth University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06925932
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- BielatRCT2025
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 7 Apr 2025
- Last updated
- 23 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Reducing Free Sugar Intakes - The Role of Sweet Taste III
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06925932
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- BielatRCT2025
- Conditions
- Dietary Behavior, Free Sugar, Sweet Taste
- Keywords
- dietary behavior, free sugar, sweet taste
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Enrolling by invitation
- Enrolment
- 180 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Bournemouth UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Sep 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 13 Apr 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 randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in UK high free sugar consumers.
Detailed description
This 12-week, 3-arm randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based food and beverage substitution instructions for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in high free sugar consumers. A total of 180 adult community members residing in Bournemouth and the surrounding areas will be recruited. All participants will be asked to reduce their intakes of free sugar and replace sweet, high-free sugar foods and beverages with either: 1) sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars; 2) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are high in other tasty flavours; and 3) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are also low in other flavours. The primary outcome of interest is the changes in free sugar intakes from baseline to endpoint. Secondary outcomes include a range of dietary and biopsychosocial outcomes, sweet taste perceptions and sweet food and beverage intakes, as well as compliance with and evaluation of the dietary recommendation received.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 3
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Sweet taste arm | Active comparator | Behavioral: Dietary advice - Sweet tasteDescription: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners. |
| Taste arm | Active comparator | Behavioral: Dietary advice - TasteDescription: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices. |
| No taste arm | Active comparator | Behavioral: Dietary advice - No tasteDescription: Participants in this arm will be asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Age 18 and over
- Consuming more than 10% total daily energy from free sugars (-3% for testing error)
- Residing in the South of England, and able to attend Bournemouth University for testing (Talbot Campus, BH12 5BB)
- Able to provide consent and complete all study-related measures
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- Being a smoker or having smoked in the last 3 months
- Being pregnant or breastfeeding
- Being underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²)
- Dieting or following a specific diet program (e.g., Weight Watchers, Keto diet, or Intermittent Fasting)
- Following a specific diet or nutritional advice as a result of pre-existing medical condition (e.g., Crohn's disease, diabetes)
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 advice - Sweet tasteAsked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners. | Behavioural | Sweet taste arm |
| Dietary advice - TasteAsked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices. | Behavioural | Taste arm |
| Dietary advice - No tasteAsked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks. | Behavioural | No taste arm |
Primary outcome
Free sugar intakes
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Percentage total energy intake (%TEI) from free sugars, measured using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls.
Adherence
Time frame: week 3 to week 12
Adherence with the dietary advice received will be assessed by self-report using online surveys.
15 secondary outcomes
Energy intake and diet composition
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Body weight
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Waist circumference
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Body fat percentage
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Body mass index
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Fasted blood glucose
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Sweet food and beverage preferences
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Sweet food and beverage perceptions
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Sweet food and beverage choice
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Dietary advice evaluation
Time frame: week 3 to week 12
Sweet attitudes
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Self-reported quality of life
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Attitudes towards eating
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Dietary knowledge
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Adverse events
Time frame: Baseline to week 12
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Jun 2026.
- 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.
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 advice - Sweet taste, Dietary advice - Taste and Dietary advice - No taste in people with Dietary Behavior and Free Sugar, 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 7 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: enrolling by invitation, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 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?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
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 12). 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 23 Jun 2026.