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Completed

NCT Number: NCT01573845

The GREEN Project Lunch Box Study

The central hypothesis of The GREEN Project Lunch Box Study is that a school-based communication campaign that combines healthy eating and eco-friendly messages will improve the quality of foods that children bring from home to school more than a healthy eating campaign alone and compared to a control/delayed intervention condition at the end of one school year.

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Key information

Conditions

Health Communication Behavior Communication

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

About this study

The proposed intervention seeks to improve the quality of foods brought to school from home by taking advantage of a natural synergy between healthy eating and eco-friendly behaviors to increase motivation to adopt healthy eating behaviors. The project involves the design, implementation and evaluation of a novel, school based communications campaign to simultaneously improve the nutrition quality and eco-friendliness of foods that elementary school children bring from home to school.

The intervention is a theory-based multi-channel communications campaign based on qualitative research with the target population: children in grades three and four in public schools in Eastern Massachusetts and their caregivers. Schools were randomized to one of three conditions: (1) a campaign that includes healthy eating and eco-friendly messages; (2) a campaign that includes healthy eating messages only; and (3) a delayed healthy eating eco-friendly campaign after serving as a control group. Foods brought from home and the packaging associated with those foods will be assessed at baseline and at the end of the school year using a photographic technique.

The primary outcome of interest is change in the number of servings of fruits and vegetables. Secondary outcomes will include changes in the quantity of sugar-sweetened beverages; changes in processed, energy-dense foods; and changes in sugar sweetened beverages brought from home. We will also be able to assess changes in trash associated with foods brought from home.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

CHILD PARTICIPANTS

Inclusion criteria

  • 3rd or 4th grade student in participating classroom
  • Brings food from home to school at least 3 days per week

Exclusion criteria

  • Not a 3rd or 4th grade student
  • Not enrolled in a participating classroom
  • Does not bring food from home to school at least three days per week

PARENT/CARETAKER PARTICIPANTS

Inclusion criteria

  • Child is a 3rd or 4th grade student in participating classroom
  • Child brings food from home to school at least 3 days per week

Exclusion criteria

  • Child is not a 3rd or 4th grade student
  • Child is not enrolled in a participating classroom
  • Child does not bring food from home to school at least three days per week

Treatment and study plan

Healthy Eating + Eco-Friendly Campaign

Behavioral

Participants receive a 6-month school-based campaign that includes:

  • A 22-lesson classroom curriculum
  • Homework activities that involve the family
  • Monthly parent newsletters
  • A food shopping and packing guide for parents
  • Food demonstrations
  • A poster contest
  • School wide announcements

Healthy Eating Campaign

Behavioral

Participants receive a 6-month school-based campaign that includes:

  • A 22-lesson classroom curriculum
  • Homework activities that involve the family
  • Monthly parent newsletters
  • A food shopping and packing guide for parents
  • Food demonstrations
  • A poster contest
  • School wide announcements

Primary outcomes

  1. Changes in the quantity of fruit and vegetables brought from home to school

    Time frame: 6 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Changes in the quantity of sugar-sweetened beverages brought from home to school

    Time frame: 6 months

  2. Changes in the quantity of processed, energy-dense foods brought from home to school

    Time frame: 6 months

  3. Changes in trash weight associated with foods brought from home to school

    Time frame: 6 months

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Tufts University

Other

Collaborators

  • Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Registry information

Official study title

The GREEN (Growing Right: Eating Eco-Friendly & Nutritious) Project Lunch Box Study

Important dates

Study start
2011
Primary completion
2012
Study completion
2013
First posted
Apr 10, 2012
Registry last updated
Mar 25, 2015

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

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

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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