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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03146715

The Effect of a Nutrient Dense Food on the Skin CarotenoidLevels of School Age Children

Background: In a previous study, children who consumed a high-carotenoid juice over 8 weeks significantly increased skin carotenoid levels as compared to children who consumed a placebo juice. A naturally carotenoid-rich baked product, potentially marketable as a healthy breakfast food alternative, was developed by Utah State University researchers.

Objective: To determine the effect and response of a carotenoid-rich baked product on change in skin carotenoid levels among children.

Design: A six week randomized controlled trial. Participants/setting: Participants were children age 5-18 during March-June, 2015 living in Cache County, UT (n=46). Intervention: Children were randomly assigned to one of two groups: treatment (n=23) with a high carotenoid baked food or control (n=25) who consumed a baked food with no carotenoids. Children were asked to eat the designated portion of the assigned food once a day for six weeks. Skin carotenoid levels were measured every two weeks by a BioPhotonic scanner and reported in Raman intensity counts. Participants were asked to maintain their diet and completed a food frequency questionnaire at Baseline, Week 3, and Week 6. Uneaten portions of the food were returned to clinic, counted, and recorded.

Main outcome measures: Change in skin carotenoid levels as measured in Raman counts over 6 weeks.

Statistical analysis performed: Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to assess the group differences in Raman counts.

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Key information

Conditions

Raman Spectroscopy Children, Only

Age range

5 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Utah State University, Center for Human Nutrition Studies

Logan, Utah, 84322-9815, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Skin carotenoid levels 11,000-33,000 Raman intensity counts
  • Age 5-18 years
  • Willing to attend 7 clinic visits
  • Willing to eat designated food each day for 6 weeks

Exclusion criteria

  • Illness in two weeks before study began
  • Chronic disease such as asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, type 1 diabetes
  • Skin carotenoid levels <11,000 and >33,000 Raman intensity counts
  • Consumption of high carotenoid supplements
  • Use of topical self-tanning lotion

Treatment and study plan

Feeding trial

Other

Children were asked to eat the designated portion of the assigned food once a day for six weeks.

Primary outcomes

  1. Raman resonance spectroscopy

    Time frame: 6 weeks

    The skin carotenoid levels were determined by calculating the average height of the peak Raman absorbance signal obtained and quantified from excitation of skin carotenoids using a low-intensity blue light-emitting diodes light (λ=473 nm) with green light (510 nm) detection.24 The BioPhotonic Scanner Everest 2TM skin carotenoids were reported as Raman intensity counts. The higher the count, the higher the concentration of carotenoid molecules detected at the site of measurement. The scanner reports total carotenoid count, rather than individual carotenoid counts, as there is overlap in the absorption spectra of each carotenoid. During the warm-up process, the black calibration cap, which covers the scanner's light-emitting diodes light, allows the scanner to self-calibrate using a patented process.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Utah State University

Other

Collaborators

  • Utah Agriculture Experiment Station

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of a Nutrient Dense Food on the Skin Carotenoid Levels of School Age Children

Important dates

Study start
2015
Primary completion
2015
Study completion
2015
First posted
May 10, 2017
Registry last updated
May 10, 2017

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

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This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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