Evaluating the Change4Life Food Scanner app in reducing children's sugar intake: a randomised pilot and feasibility study.
Journal
Lancet (London, England)
ISSN: 1474-547X
Titre abrégé: Lancet
Pays: England
ID NLM: 2985213R
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
11 2022
11 2022
Historique:
entrez:
17
3
2023
pubmed:
18
3
2023
medline:
22
3
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
The Change4Life Food Scanner app displays nutritional information using visual images alongside traffic light labels. The app's effectiveness for improving dietary choices is unknown. This study investigated the feasibility and acceptability of evaluating the effectiveness of the Food Scanner app in reducing children's sugar intake in the UK. Adopting a non-blinded parallel trial design, we randomly assigned (1:1) 126 parents of children aged 4-11 years through block randomisation sequences into a 3-month intervention consisting of exposure to the Change4Life Food Scanner app (version 1.6; ie, the intervention group [n=62]) or no intervention (ie, the control group [n=64]). Participants completed baseline and 3-month post-intervention measures of dietary intake (3-day food diary) and trial acceptability measures. The intervention group completed fortnightly app engagement measures. Ethical approval was obtained by the University of Sheffield Research Ethics Committee (026380). 64 (51%) of 126 participants completed the study (29 [45%] in the intervention group and 35 [55%] in the control group). 51 (80%) of 64 reported that the study was easy to complete and 62 (97%) found receiving task completion reminders helpful. App engagement decreased throughout the study (eg, mean engagement time was 18·01 min [SD 27·15] in week 2, and 6·76 min [11·56] in week 12). 18 (64%) of 28 participants reported high overall app acceptability; however, seven (25%) did not find the app helpful. 24 (86%) of 28 reported high acceptability for the app's use of sugar cube images, which were rated as easy to understand and useful to supplement front of package nutritional labels. Six (21%) of 28 did not find sugar cube images helpful and 20 (71%) had low acceptability of the app aiding food purchasing decisions. 45 (73%) of 62 were willing to continue with the study for a 12-month trial. Despite a high attrition rate, study procedures were considered acceptable by most participants. Acceptability of the Food Scanner app was varied, and participants did not find the app helpful for food purchases. Analysis of preliminary efficacy of the intervention is ongoing, which will inform design parameters for a future large-scale trial. Wellcome Trust.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
The Change4Life Food Scanner app displays nutritional information using visual images alongside traffic light labels. The app's effectiveness for improving dietary choices is unknown. This study investigated the feasibility and acceptability of evaluating the effectiveness of the Food Scanner app in reducing children's sugar intake in the UK.
METHODS
Adopting a non-blinded parallel trial design, we randomly assigned (1:1) 126 parents of children aged 4-11 years through block randomisation sequences into a 3-month intervention consisting of exposure to the Change4Life Food Scanner app (version 1.6; ie, the intervention group [n=62]) or no intervention (ie, the control group [n=64]). Participants completed baseline and 3-month post-intervention measures of dietary intake (3-day food diary) and trial acceptability measures. The intervention group completed fortnightly app engagement measures. Ethical approval was obtained by the University of Sheffield Research Ethics Committee (026380).
FINDINGS
64 (51%) of 126 participants completed the study (29 [45%] in the intervention group and 35 [55%] in the control group). 51 (80%) of 64 reported that the study was easy to complete and 62 (97%) found receiving task completion reminders helpful. App engagement decreased throughout the study (eg, mean engagement time was 18·01 min [SD 27·15] in week 2, and 6·76 min [11·56] in week 12). 18 (64%) of 28 participants reported high overall app acceptability; however, seven (25%) did not find the app helpful. 24 (86%) of 28 reported high acceptability for the app's use of sugar cube images, which were rated as easy to understand and useful to supplement front of package nutritional labels. Six (21%) of 28 did not find sugar cube images helpful and 20 (71%) had low acceptability of the app aiding food purchasing decisions. 45 (73%) of 62 were willing to continue with the study for a 12-month trial.
INTERPRETATION
Despite a high attrition rate, study procedures were considered acceptable by most participants. Acceptability of the Food Scanner app was varied, and participants did not find the app helpful for food purchases. Analysis of preliminary efficacy of the intervention is ongoing, which will inform design parameters for a future large-scale trial.
FUNDING
Wellcome Trust.
Identifiants
pubmed: 36929955
pii: S0140-6736(22)02223-1
doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(22)02223-1
pii:
doi:
Substances chimiques
Sugars
0
Types de publication
Randomized Controlled Trial
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
S13Subventions
Organisme : Wellcome Trust
Pays : United Kingdom
Informations de copyright
Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.