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NCT Number: NCT06925932

This Trial Aims to Assess the Effects of Three Different Taste-based Dietary Recommendations for Reducing Free Sugar Intakes on Free Sugar Consumption in UK High Free Sugar Consumers

This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based dietary recommendations for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in UK high free sugar consumers.

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Key information

Conditions

Dietary Behavior Free Sugar Sweet Taste

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Bournemouth University

Bournemouth, BH12 5BB, United Kingdom

About this study

This 12-week, 3-arm randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different taste-based food and beverage substitution instructions for reducing free sugar intakes on free sugar consumption in high free sugar consumers. A total of 180 adult community members residing in Bournemouth and the surrounding areas will be recruited. All participants will be asked to reduce their intakes of free sugar and replace sweet, high-free sugar foods and beverages with either: 1) sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars; 2) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are high in other tasty flavours; and 3) non-sweet tasting foods and beverages that have no or low amounts of free sugars and are also low in other flavours. The primary outcome of interest is the changes in free sugar intakes from baseline to endpoint. Secondary outcomes include a range of dietary and biopsychosocial outcomes, sweet taste perceptions and sweet food and beverage intakes, as well as compliance with and evaluation of the dietary recommendation received.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

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

Inclusion criteria

  • Age 18 and over
  • Consuming more than 10% total daily energy from free sugars (-3% for testing error)
  • Residing in the South of England, and able to attend Bournemouth University for testing (Talbot Campus, BH12 5BB)
  • Able to provide consent and complete all study-related measures

Exclusion criteria

  • Being a smoker or having smoked in the last 3 months
  • Being pregnant or breastfeeding
  • Being underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg/m²)
  • Dieting or following a specific diet program (e.g., Weight Watchers, Keto diet, or Intermittent Fasting)
  • Following a specific diet or nutritional advice as a result of pre-existing medical condition (e.g., Crohn's disease, diabetes)
  • Having a pre-existing medical condition or taking medication that could affect taste and/or smell abilities (e.g., certain blood pressure and heart medications)
  • Allergies to foods and drinks used in the study

Treatment and study plan

Dietary advice - Sweet taste

Behavioral

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are sweet but have no or low amounts of free sugars, e.g., sweet no- or low-free sugar foods, fruit, and no- or low-calorie sweeteners.

Dietary advice - Taste

Behavioral

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet but are full of tasty flavours, e.g., non-sweet foods and drinks with nuts, herbs or spices.

Dietary advice - No taste

Behavioral

Asked to reduce their free sugar intakes to < 5%TEI and replace sweet foods and drinks that are high in free sugars with foods and drinks that are non-sweet and have no strong flavours, e.g., non-sweet plain foods and drinks.

Primary outcomes

  1. Free sugar intakes

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Percentage total energy intake (%TEI) from free sugars, measured using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls.

  2. Adherence

    Time frame: week 3 to week 12

    Adherence with the dietary advice received will be assessed by self-report using online surveys.

Secondary outcomes

  1. Energy intake and diet composition

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Energy intake and nutrient composition of dietary intakes, measured using multiple 24-hour dietary recalls.

  2. Body weight

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Weight, in kilograms, assessed using standard digital scales.

  3. Waist circumference

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Waist circumference, in centimeters, measured using standard flexible tape measure.

  4. Body fat percentage

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Body fat percentage assessed using a bioimpedance scale.

  5. Body mass index

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Body mass index assessed using a standard kg/m2 measurement.

  6. Fasted blood glucose

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Fasted blood glucose (min 8h fast), in millimoles per litre, assessed using a prick-a-finger method and a blood glucose monitor.

  7. Sweet food and beverage preferences

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Preferences for sweet foods and beverages will be assessed using a taste perception test. Participants will taste commercially available several sweet and non-sweet foods and beverages and indicate how pleasant these are and how much they desire to eat these using 0-100 visual analogue scales. Higher scores indicate greater pleasantness and desire to eat.

  8. Sweet food and beverage perceptions

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Preferences of the sweet taste intensity will be assessed using a taste perception test. Participants will taste several commercially available sweet and non-sweet foods and beverages and indicate their sweetness intensity using 0-100 visual analogue scales. Higher scores indicate greater perceived sweetness intensity.

  9. Sweet food and beverage choice

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Sweet food and beverage choice will be assessed using a breakfast meal. A wide selection of commercially available sweet and non-sweet breakfast foods and beverages will be presented, with participants free to choose what and how much they consume. Sweet food and beverage choices will be measured as the weight consumed during the breakfast meal. A take-home beverage will also be offered from a selection of sweet and non-sweet beverages with the choice recorded.

  10. Dietary advice evaluation

    Time frame: week 3 to week 12

    Evaluation of and perceptions of the dietary advice received will be assessed by self-report using individual questions using online surveys.

  11. Sweet attitudes

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Attitudes toward sugars, sweeteners, and sweet foods will be assessed using the Sweet Talk Questionnaire in six domains. The higher the score in a given domain, the more prevalent the attitude.

  12. Self-reported quality of life

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Physical and psychosocial functioning will be assessed using the 36-item Short Form Health Survey. Higher scores indicate greater quality of life.

  13. Attitudes towards eating

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    General attitudes towards eating will be assessed using the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire in three domains. The higher the score in a given domain, the more prevalent the behaviour.

  14. Dietary knowledge

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Knowledge of dietary and sugar recommendations will be assessed via self-report using specific indvidual questions in an online questionnaire.

  15. Adverse events

    Time frame: Baseline to week 12

    Adverse events will be assessed via self-report.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Bournemouth University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Reducing Free Sugar Intakes - The Role of Sweet Taste III

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2027
First posted
Apr 13, 2025
Registry last updated
Jun 23, 2026

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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