Eating BehaviorNCT07531524
Dual-Label Intervention to Promote Low-Carbon and Healthy Food Choices in a University Cafeteria
A study testing Carbon and Calorie label in people with Eating Behavior and Dietary Behavior, run by Lina Zhang at 1 site in China.
Trial summary
This study aims to evaluate whether a dual-label intervention, combining carbon -coded footprint color labels and calorie information, can promote low-carbon and healthier food choices among university students in a real-world cafeteria setting. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Eating Behavior, Dietary Behavior
- What is being tested?
- Carbon and Calorie label
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 200 participants
- Where
- 1 siteChina
- Study dates
- May 2026to Jul 2026
- 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
- Students enrolled at the university
- Regularly purchase food in the university cafeteria
- Aged ≥18 years
Who cannot join
- Individuals aged <18 years
- Individuals who do not regularly purchase food in the university cafeteria
- Individuals unable to participate throughout the study period
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
China1 site
Zhejiang Chinese Medicine University
Hangzhou, Zhejiang, 310000
Cun Lin, +8618190275899, 202312210602027@zcmu.edu.cn
About this study
Official title: A Dual-Label Intervention to Promote Low-Carbon and Healthy Food Choices in a University Cafeteria.
This study aims to evaluate whether a dual-label intervention, combining carbon -coded footprint color labels and calorie information, can promote low-carbon and healthier food choices among university students in a real-world cafeteria setting. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with approximately 200 participants, who will be assigned to either an intervention group (with labels) or a control group (without labels). The study a consists of 2-week baseline period, a 4-week intervention period, and a 2-week a follow-up period. The primary outcome is the mean carbon footprint level of selected meals, and secondary outcomes include nutritional quality, body composition, and changes in environmental and health awareness.
Read the detailed description
Study Design and Setting This study is designed as a prospective, stratified randomized controlled trial conducted in a real-world university cafeteria setting. The aim is to evaluate the isolated effect of a dual-label intervention (carbon footprint color-coding combined with calorie information) on food choice behavior without confounding from nutritional labeling. The cafeteria environment will be maintained consistently across both study arms regarding menu offerings, pricing, and food placement.
Participant Recruitment and Randomization Approximately 200 university student volunteers will be recruited. Following a 2-week baseline observation period, participants will undergo body composition analysis and will be stratified by gender, Body Mass Index and baseline dietary carbon footprint level. Within each stratum, participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the Intervention Group or the Control Group. Participants will be blinded to the specific study hypothesis (carbon reduction) during recruitment and baseline to minimize the Hawthorne effect.
Intervention and Menu Profiling Carbon Footprint Labeling: Life-cycle carbon emissions per 100g will be calculated. Dishes are categorized into three color-coded tiers using quintile distribution: Green (Low Carbon), Yellow (Medium Carbon), and Red (High Carbon).
Calorie Labeling: Explicit calorie values (kcal per 100g) will be displayed numerically.
Nutritional Quality (Hidden Variable): A Nutrient Density Score (NDS) will be calculated for each dish and classified into four grades (A, B, C, D). Crucially, this nutritional grade will NOT be displayed on labels. It serves solely as an analytical variable to assess the natural alignment between low-carbon choices and nutritional adequacy, thereby isolating the effect of carbon/calorie cues.
Study Phases
The trial spans 8 weeks in total, divided into three distinct phases:
Phase 1: Baseline Period (Weeks 1-2):
All participants select lunch from their designated windows (Intervention windows vs. Control windows). No labels are displayed during this phase. Participants will capture and upload meal photos daily via a designated system. Baseline environmental and health awareness questionnaires will be administered.
Phase 2: Intervention Period (Weeks 3-6):
Intervention Group: Food items at the designated windows will display the dual-label tags (Colored Carbon Footprint Icon + Calorie Number).
Control Group: No labels will be displayed at their designated windows. Participants continue daily photo uploads of their selected meals. To verify label exposure, the Intervention Group will be prompted to identify the color and calorie content of their selection during the check-in process.
Phase 3: Follow-up Period (Weeks 7-8):
All labels will be removed from the cafeteria. Participants continue to select meals from their originally assigned windows and upload photos. This phase assesses the sustainability of any behavioral changes induced by the label exposure.
Outcome Measures Primary Outcome: Change in the mean carbon footprint level (scored as Green=1, Yellow=2, Red=3) of selected meals from baseline to the intervention period.
Secondary Outcomes:
Implicit nutritional quality of selected meals. Changes in body composition (Body Fat Percentage, Skeletal Muscle Mass) measured pre- and post-intervention.
Changes in self-reported environmental and health awareness scores. Congruence effect: Analysis of behavioral change when carbon and calorie cues are aligned (e.g., Green + Low Calorie) versus conflicting (e.g., Green + High Calorie).
Data Collection and Analysis:
Meal selection data will be digitized daily through participant-submitted photographs. Carbon and nutritional scores will be calculated based on the backend recipe database. Statistical analysis will utilize linear mixed models to account for repeated measures within participants, comparing the differential change between the Intervention and Control groups over time.
- Conditions
- Eating Behavior, Dietary Behavior
- Being tested
- Carbon and Calorie label
- Keywords
- Carbon label, Calorie label
- Medical subject headings
- Feeding Behavior
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Carbon and Calorie labelBehavioural
Participants are exposed to carbon footprint and calorie information presented on labels attached to serving trays in a university cafeteria. The labels use visual cues (e.g., traffic-light colors) to indicate environmental impact and energy content of food items at the point of selection.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Food purchased with carbon and calorie labels. | Experimental | Participants in this arm will select their meals from designated cafeteria windows where food items display dual labels combining carbon footprint color-coding (Green=Low, Yellow=Medium, Red=High carbon emissions per 100g) and explicit calorie values (kcal per 100g). The intervention lasts 4 weeks, preceded by a 2-week baseline period and followed by a 2-week follow-up period without labels. Meal selections will be recorded daily via photo uploads. Receives: Behavioral: Carbon and Calorie label |
| Control | No intervention | Participants in this arm will select their meals from designated cafeteria windows where no carbon or calorie labels are displayed. The menu offerings, pricing, and food placement remain identical to the intervention arm. Meal selections will be recorded daily via photo uploads throughout the 2-week baseline, 4-week observation period, and 2-week follow-up phase |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Carbon footprint of selected food items
Average carbon footprint of food items selected per participant in a university cafeteria setting, calculated based on carbon emission values and compared between intervention and control groups.
Measured: 4 weeks for intervention period
Secondary outcomes (6)
Calorie content of selected food items
Average calorie content (kcal) of food items selected per participant in a university cafeteria setting, compared between intervention and control groups.
Measured: 4 weeks for intervention period
Nutritional quality score of selected food items
utritional quality score of food items selected per participant in a university cafeteria setting, assessed using a predefined scoring system and compared between groups.
Measured: 4 weeks for intervention period
Body mass index
Change in body mass index (kg/m²) from baseline to 4 weeks among participants.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks.
Body weight
Change in body weight (kg) from baseline to 4 weeks among participants.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks
Environmental awareness score
Change in environmental awareness related to food choices, assessed via questionnaire scores and compared between groups.
Measured: Baseline to 4 weeks
Health awareness score
Change in health awareness related to dietary choices, assessed via questionnaire scores and compared between groups.
Measured: Baseline to 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted15 Apr 2026
- Study startMay 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completionJul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionJul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Eating 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
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Lina Zhang
- Sponsor type
- Other government
- Responsible party
- Sponsor-investigator, Lina Zhang, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
- Investigators
- Lina Zhang, Ph.D, Principal investigator, School of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07531524
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- DLCD-2026-01
- Status last verified
- Apr 2026
- First submitted
- 6 Apr 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Apr 2026
- Results posted
- No
- 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 21 Apr 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Dual-Label Intervention to Promote Low-Carbon and Healthy Food Choices in a University Cafeteria.
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07531524
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- DLCD-2026-01
- Conditions
- Eating Behavior, Dietary Behavior
- Keywords
- Carbon label, Calorie label
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 200 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Lina ZhangOther government
- Study start
- May 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 15 Apr 2026 (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 aims to evaluate whether a dual-label intervention, combining carbon -coded footprint color labels and calorie information, can promote low-carbon and healthier food choices among university students in a real-world cafeteria setting. A randomized controlled trial will be conducted with approximately 200 participants, who will be assigned to either an intervention group (with labels) or a control group (without labels). The study a consists of 2-week baseline period, a 4-week intervention period, and a 2-week a follow-up period. The primary outcome is the mean carbon footprint level of selected meals, and secondary outcomes include nutritional quality, body composition, and changes in environmental and health awareness.
Detailed description
Study Design and Setting This study is designed as a prospective, stratified randomized controlled trial conducted in a real-world university cafeteria setting. The aim is to evaluate the isolated effect of a dual-label intervention (carbon footprint color-coding combined with calorie information) on food choice behavior without confounding from nutritional labeling. The cafeteria environment will be maintained consistently across both study arms regarding menu offerings, pricing, and food placement.
Participant Recruitment and Randomization Approximately 200 university student volunteers will be recruited. Following a 2-week baseline observation period, participants will undergo body composition analysis and will be stratified by gender, Body Mass Index and baseline dietary carbon footprint level. Within each stratum, participants will be randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to either the Intervention Group or the Control Group. Participants will be blinded to the specific study hypothesis (carbon reduction) during recruitment and baseline to minimize the Hawthorne effect.
Intervention and Menu Profiling Carbon Footprint Labeling: Life-cycle carbon emissions per 100g will be calculated. Dishes are categorized into three color-coded tiers using quintile distribution: Green (Low Carbon), Yellow (Medium Carbon), and Red (High Carbon).
Calorie Labeling: Explicit calorie values (kcal per 100g) will be displayed numerically.
Nutritional Quality (Hidden Variable): A Nutrient Density Score (NDS) will be calculated for each dish and classified into four grades (A, B, C, D). Crucially, this nutritional grade will NOT be displayed on labels. It serves solely as an analytical variable to assess the natural alignment between low-carbon choices and nutritional adequacy, thereby isolating the effect of carbon/calorie cues.
Study Phases
The trial spans 8 weeks in total, divided into three distinct phases:
Phase 1: Baseline Period (Weeks 1-2):
All participants select lunch from their designated windows (Intervention windows vs. Control windows). No labels are displayed during this phase. Participants will capture and upload meal photos daily via a designated system. Baseline environmental and health awareness questionnaires will be administered.
Phase 2: Intervention Period (Weeks 3-6):
Intervention Group: Food items at the designated windows will display the dual-label tags (Colored Carbon Footprint Icon + Calorie Number).
Control Group: No labels will be displayed at their designated windows. Participants continue daily photo uploads of their selected meals. To verify label exposure, the Intervention Group will be prompted to identify the color and calorie content of their selection during the check-in process.
Phase 3: Follow-up Period (Weeks 7-8):
All labels will be removed from the cafeteria. Participants continue to select meals from their originally assigned windows and upload photos. This phase assesses the sustainability of any behavioral changes induced by the label exposure.
Outcome Measures Primary Outcome: Change in the mean carbon footprint level (scored as Green=1, Yellow=2, Red=3) of selected meals from baseline to the intervention period.
Secondary Outcomes:
Implicit nutritional quality of selected meals. Changes in body composition (Body Fat Percentage, Skeletal Muscle Mass) measured pre- and post-intervention.
Changes in self-reported environmental and health awareness scores. Congruence effect: Analysis of behavioral change when carbon and calorie cues are aligned (e.g., Green + Low Calorie) versus conflicting (e.g., Green + High Calorie).
Data Collection and Analysis:
Meal selection data will be digitized daily through participant-submitted photographs. Carbon and nutritional scores will be calculated based on the backend recipe database. Statistical analysis will utilize linear mixed models to account for repeated measures within participants, comparing the differential change between the Intervention and Control groups over time.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Food purchased with carbon and calorie labels. | Experimental | Behavioral: Carbon and Calorie labelParticipants in this arm will select their meals from designated cafeteria windows where food items display dual labels combining carbon footprint color-coding (Green=Low, Yellow=Medium, Red=High carbon emissions per 100g) and explicit calorie values (kcal per 100g). The intervention lasts 4 weeks, preceded by a 2-week baseline period and followed by a 2-week follow-up period without labels. Meal selections will be recorded daily via photo uploads. |
| Control | No intervention | –Participants in this arm will select their meals from designated cafeteria windows where no carbon or calorie labels are displayed. The menu offerings, pricing, and food placement remain identical to the intervention arm. Meal selections will be recorded daily via photo uploads throughout the 2-week baseline, 4-week observation period, and 2-week follow-up phase |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Students enrolled at the university
- Regularly purchase food in the university cafeteria
- Aged ≥18 years
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Individuals aged <18 years
- Individuals who do not regularly purchase food in the university cafeteria
- Individuals unable to participate throughout the study period
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Carbon and Calorie labelParticipants are exposed to carbon footprint and calorie information presented on labels attached to serving trays in a university cafeteria. The labels use visual cues (e.g., traffic-light colors) to indicate environmental impact and energy content of food items at the point of selection. | Behavioural | Food purchased with carbon and calorie labels. |
Primary outcome
Carbon footprint of selected food items
Time frame: 4 weeks for intervention period
Average carbon footprint of food items selected per participant in a university cafeteria setting, calculated based on carbon emission values and compared between intervention and control groups.
6 secondary outcomes
Calorie content of selected food items
Time frame: 4 weeks for intervention period
Nutritional quality score of selected food items
Time frame: 4 weeks for intervention period
Body mass index
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks.
Body weight
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Environmental awareness score
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
Health awareness score
Time frame: Baseline to 4 weeks
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 21 Apr 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.
Lina Zhang, Ph.D principal investigator
School of Public Health, Zhejiang Chinese Medical 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 Carbon and Calorie label in people with Eating Behavior and Dietary Behavior, run by Lina Zhang 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 3 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 21 Apr 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 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?
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?
Contact Cun Lin (+8618190275899, 202312210602027@zcmu.edu.cn), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Carbon footprint of selected food items (time frame: 4 weeks for intervention period). 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 21 Apr 2026.