The Influence of Fictitious Peers in a Social Media Intervention for Downsizing Portions: The Smart Snacking Studies

Eating Behavior Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Influence of Fictitious Peers in a Social Media Intervention for Downsizing Portions: The Smart Snacking Studies

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT04064775
• Other study ID #: 17-0111/ 17-0094
• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: December 8, 2016
• Est. completion date: June 1, 2017

Study information

• Verified date: August 2019
• Source: University of Leeds
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The 2 interventions aimed to examine whether peer-led nudging on social media may be a way of influencing young adults and adolescents to reduce their self-reported ideal portion sizes of high energy-dense snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages.

Description:

Two pilot interventions were conducted which examined the influence of peer-led nudging on social media as a way of influencing self-reported ideal portions of high energy-dense snacks and sugar-sweetened beverages. In both interventions the peers posted images of 'their' snacks and beverages, which constituted the recommended portion, onto an Instagram account. The peers also posted images relating to portion sizes, calories and other information related to health but not specifically portion size. It was hypothesised that viewing images of peers' snacks would influence the participants to reduce their own snack and beverage ideal portion sizes.

Intervention 1 lasted for 2 weeks and recruited young adults and used a within-subjects design. Intervention 2 lasted for 4 weeks and recruited adolescents and used a between-subjects design. In intervention 2, participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention or the control condition. This protocol focusses on intervention 2.

In both interventions, participants in the intervention condition were added to an Instagram account and were required to visit Instagram daily and to like all posts. All participants (intervention and control) completed a survey at baseline and at the end of the intervention, and completed quizzes at the end of each week.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 44
• Est. completion date: June 1, 2017
• Est. primary completion date: June 1, 2017
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 13 Years to 16 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

13-16 years old (intervention 2)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Younger than 13 or older than 16 (intervention 2).

• History of or current eating disorder

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Eating Behavior
• Social Psychology

Intervention

Behavioral:
• Smart snacking intervention
The smart snacking intervention aimed to examine whether peer-led nudging on social media influenced adolescents to reduce their self-reported ideal portion sizes for a variety of HED snacks and SSBs. In intervention 2, participants were randomly allocated to the intervention or control condition, and their ideal portion sizes were assessed through a survey at baseline and intervention end.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
n/a

Sponsors (3)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
University of Leeds	Coventry University, Penn State University

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Self-reported ideal portion size	Questionnaire measuring participants' self-reported ideal portion size. The aim of the intervention was to reduce the ideal portion size. Participants were provided with different images of food. For each image, judgements were made on whether the portion was 'too little', 'slightly less than I would eat', 'just right', 'slightly more than I would eat', or 'too much'.	Baseline at the beginning of week 1 and intervention end at the end of week 4.
Secondary	Perceptions of peers' ideal portion sizes	Questionnaire measuring participants' perceptions of their peers' ideal portion sizes. Participants were provided with images of different energy dense foods. For each image, judgements were made on whether the portion was 'too little', 'slightly less than I would eat', 'just right', 'slightly more than I would eat', or 'too much'. The aim of the intervention was to reduce the ideal portion size.	Baseline at the beginning of week 1 and intervention end at the end of week 4
Secondary	Participants liking and frequency of consumption of high energy dense snack foods and sugar-sweetened beverages	Questionnaire measuring participants' liking and frequency of consumption. Participants' reported frequency of consumption for and liking of each item were assessed based on questions used by Stok, De Ridder, De Vet, & De Wit (2014). Mean frequency and liking scores were calculated for HED snacks and SSBs. A low score for frequency indicated that the item was not eaten frequently, a low score for liking indicated that the item was not liked.	Baseline at the beginning of week 1 and intervention end at the end of week 4
Secondary	Participants' intentions regarding their portions	Questionnaire measuring participants' intentions. Participants' reported intentions which were assessed based on questions used by Stok, De Ridder, De Vet, & De Wit (2014). Mean intention scores were calculated for HED snacks and SSBs. A low score for intention score indicated that participants did not intend to change their behaviour.	Baseline at the beginning of week 1 and intervention end at the end of week 4