Reducing the Use of Sugar by School Lunch Cooks in Public Schools

Sugar Intake Clinical Trial

Official title:

Reducing the Use and the Consumption of Sugar by School Lunch Cooks in Public Schools: a Cluster Randomized Trial

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Completed

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT01267474
• Other study ID #: CNPQ:474135/2006-3
• Status: Completed
• Phase: Phase 3
• First received: December 27, 2010
• Last updated: December 27, 2010
• Start date: March 2007
• Est. completion date: December 2007

Study information

• Verified date: November 2010
• Source: Rio de Janeiro State University
• Contact: n/a
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Health authority: Brazil: National Committee of Ethics in Research
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The main objective was to evaluate the effect of a nutritional education program for school lunch cooks, aiming to reduce added sugar in schools meals and in their sugar intake.

Description:

Although Brazil is the largest producer and one of the world's largest consumers of sugar, research on sugar consumption is still a weak point among health indicators and there are no population studies to investigate the sugar intake in Brazilian population. Available data have shown reduction in the consumption of refined sugar (-37% between 1996 and 2003) but significant increase in consumption of soft drinks (400%), which constitute the main vehicle for consumption of added sugar. Moreover, studies have shown the adverse effects of excessive consumption of added sugar in dental caries and health, as excess energy intake hence in weight gain. Although several factors are associated with weight gain in adolescents, adults and elders, and several strategies have been released by both Brazil and International Agencies, as the Global Strategy, increased weight gain, particularly in adolescents, has been observed in several countries with large increase in Brazil, justifying specific projects to evaluate which messages, strategies and proposals for intervention would be effective.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Completed
• Enrollment: 95
• Est. completion date: December 2007
• Est. primary completion date: December 2007
• Accepts healthy volunteers: No
• Gender: Female
• Age group: 18 Years to 65 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• Women who were working in the function of school lunch cook in the schools.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Pregnancy, male.

Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Endpoint Classification: Efficacy Study, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Single Blind (Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Prevention

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Sugar Intake

Intervention

Other:
• Nutritional education
A nutritional education program was carried out during seven months of one school year aiming to reduce added sugar in school meals by the school lunch cooks and in their own consumption. All women in the intervention group participated in three sections about sugar consumption and one section on food labeling, as well as recipes competition of with reducing sugar. Printed material and gifts, such as mugs, refrigerator magnets and small purses with the logo of the campaign were given to the participants. All sections of education were delivered in the schools. The activities required 20 to 30 minutes and were facilitated by trained research assistants. Printed instructions and orientations on the facilitation process supported the assistants' efforts.
• Control
The control group received only three one-hour general sessions on health issues.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
Brazil	Rio de Janeiro State University	Rio de Janeiro

Sponsors (2)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
Rio de Janeiro State University	Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico

Country where clinical trial is conducted

Brazil, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Sugar intake	Reducing added sugar in the schools meals by school lunch cooks and in their sugar intake.	10 months	No