The Modifying Eating and Lifestyles at School Study

Food Habits Clinical Trial

— MEALS  

Official title:

The Modifying Eating and Lifestyles at School (MEALS) Study

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT02309840
• Other study ID #: 21198-103
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 2011
• Est. completion date: June 2014

Study information

• Verified date: January 2024
• Source: Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of introducing healthier, chef-enhanced foods and/or environmental modifications (choice architecture) on selection and consumption of school foods among elementary and middle school students.

Description:

Project Modifying Eating and Lifestyles at School (MEALS) was a school-based study developed by the nonprofit organization Project Bread (www.ProjectBread.org) and the Harvard School of Public Health. Project Bread hired a professional chef to work with several schools in a low-income, urban school district in Massachusetts to enhance the palatability and nutrient profile of the school meals. Four schools were randomly assigned to receive the professional chef. Additionally, two schools in that district and four schools in a second school district were randomly assigned to receive a behavioral psychology intervention to influence the selection and consumption of the healthier foods offered. Selection and consumption were assessed at baseline, up to 3 months post-implementation (short-term implementation for chef-enhanced meals), up to 4 months post-implementation (long-term implementation for behavioral psychology) and/or up to 7 months post-implementation (long-term implementation for chef-enhanced meals).

Primary Aim 1: to examine the impact of introducing healthier, chef-enhanced foods with increased palatability on selection and consumption among elementary and middle school students. It is hypothesized that there will be an increase in the selection and consumption of entrees, fruits, and vegetables in schools where healthier, chef-enhanced foods are served.

Aim 2: to examine the impact of physical modifications to the placement and displays of foods in the cafeteria on selection/consumption among elementary and middle school students. It is hypothesized that there will be an increase in selection and consumption of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables when modifications are made.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 6873
• Est. completion date: June 2014
• Est. primary completion date: June 2012
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 5 Years to 16 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Students in grades 1-8 attending a participating school and receiving a school meal on a study day

Exclusion Criteria:

• Bringing a lunch from home on a study day or not eating lunch in the cafeteria on a study day

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Food Habits
• Meals

Intervention

Behavioral:
• choice architecture
Place vegetables at the beginning of the lunch line. Place fruits in attractive bowls or trays lined with appealing fabric, and place other fruit options next to the cash registers. Promote fruits and vegetables with prominently displayed signage and images. Place white milk selection in front of sugar-sweetened milk (e.g. chocolate milk) or at eye-level.

Other:
• Chef-enhanced meals
meals prepared by a professional chef with enhanced palatability

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH)

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in the selection of meal components (Selection of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables)	Selection of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables	baseline, up to 3 months post-implementation, and up to 7 months post-implementation
Primary	Change in the consumption of meal components (consumption of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables)	consumption of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables	baseline, up to 3 months post-implementation, and up to 7 months post-implementation
Secondary	Time to eat (Estimated amount of time spent eating foods)	Estimated amount of time spent eating foods	up to 24 months
Secondary	Hunger (Self-reported hunger at the end of the meal)	Self-reported hunger at the end of the meal	up to 12 months