Healthy Food Policies for Chronic Disease

Overseen By Eva Fabian, MPH

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Disqualifiers: Cognitive impairment, Under 18, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 6

300 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial explores how different healthy food policies can influence dietary choices and reduce chronic diseases like type 2 diabetes, obesity, and heart disease. It focuses on the impact of policies targeting ultra-processed foods, expanding beyond just sugary drinks. Participants will divide into two groups—one experiencing the policy changes and one not—to determine if these policies make a difference. This trial might suit those living in Houston, San Antonio, or Philadelphia, who manage most of their household’s grocery shopping, and eat fast food like McDonald's at least once a month.

As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking research that could shape future food policies and improve public health.

What prior data suggests that this suite of healthy food policies is safe?

Research has shown that policies promoting healthy eating can greatly improve public health by lowering the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes. Studies have found that choosing healthier foods significantly reduces the chances of developing these diseases.

Implementing these food policies is safe, as they focus on encouraging better eating habits without posing any direct risk to human health. This safety stems from promoting healthier food choices rather than introducing new drugs or treatments.

Moreover, these policies have successfully reduced sugary drink consumption in other areas. This success suggests that applying similar policies to more foods could further improve health without causing harm. Overall, focusing on healthier eating is a safe and effective way to reduce diet-related health problems. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about this trial because it explores how healthy food policies can impact chronic diseases. Unlike traditional treatments that often rely on medication, these policies aim to prevent and manage conditions by promoting healthier eating habits at a community level. This approach could lead to more sustainable and widespread improvements in public health by addressing root causes of chronic diseases rather than just managing symptoms. The trial hopes to find out if policy changes can effectively reduce the incidence and severity of these conditions, offering a potentially groundbreaking shift in how we tackle chronic diseases.

What evidence suggests that this suite of healthy food policies is effective for improving nutrition security and reducing nutrition-related diseases?

This trial will evaluate the impact of a suite of healthy food policies on chronic disease prevention. Studies have shown that eating healthy can greatly reduce the risk of chronic diseases like diabetes, heart disease, and stroke. Research indicates that creating food policies to improve nutrition can significantly benefit public health by lowering the rates of these diet-related diseases. Evidence suggests that making healthy foods more accessible and promoting better eating habits can lead to improved long-term health. For example, following diets like the Mediterranean diet has been linked to a lower risk of chronic illnesses. Overall, healthy food policies are believed to help improve nutrition and reduce the risk of chronic diseases. ^{1 6 7 8 9}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Christina Roberto, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Pennsylvania

Pasquale Rummo, PhD, MPH

Principal Investigator

NYU Langone Health

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

Inclusion Criteria

Not currently eligible for or participating in SNAP or another government program that automatically qualifies the person for SNAP (e.g., WIC, TANF)

Meets income eligibility requirements based on location

Reports consuming food from McDonald's or a similar fast-food chain at least once a month

Exclusion Criteria

Does not meet all of the inclusion criteria

I am younger than 18 years old.

I have cognitive impairment as determined by my doctor.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Baseline

Participants shop without interventions to establish a control baseline

1 week

1 online shopping session

Intervention

Participants are exposed to healthy food policies including taxes and warning labels for three weeks

3 weeks

3 online shopping sessions

Intensified Intervention

Unhealthy food marketing is introduced to simulate industry response to policies

2 weeks

2 online shopping sessions

Follow-up

Participants complete final surveys and assessments of policy impact

1 week

Final survey administered

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Suite of healthy food policies

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Group II: Control Active Control 1 Intervention

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Pennsylvania

Lead Sponsor

Trials

2,118

Recruited

45,270,000+

Citations

1.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6328339/

The Importance of Healthy Dietary Patterns in Chronic ... - PMC

The preponderance of evidence to date suggests that healthy dietary patterns reduce the risk of the major diet-related chronic diseases, such as diabetes, ...

2.

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11141542/

U.S. food policy to address diet-related chronic disease - PMC

Implementing policies improving American nutrition will significantly impact public health by reducing rates of diet-related chronic diseases, ...

3.

cdc.gov

cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2025/pdf/24_0335.pdf

preventing chronic disease

We grouped policies into 4 categories based on topic modules in the survey in- strument: supporting new or existing food stores to sell healthy.

4.

indwes.edu

indwes.edu/articles/2025/07/nutrition-and-chronic-disease

Nutrition and Chronic Disease: Food as Preventive Medicine

Embracing healthy eating habits and smart nutrition goals early on can lead to better long-term outcomes. Common Diet-Related Chronic Diseases.

5.

bmj.com

bmj.com/content/361/bmj.k2396

Food based dietary patterns and chronic disease prevention

Healthy food patterns and health outcomes. In prospective cohort studies the Mediterranean diet has been associated with lower risk for ...

6.

cdc.gov

cdc.gov/nutrition/php/healthy-food-environments/index.html

Healthy Food Environments | Nutrition

Chronic diseases account for 70% of all U.S. deaths every year. Poor diets contribute to chronic diseases such as heart disease, type 2 diabetes ...

7.

healthaffairs.org

healthaffairs.org/doi/10.1377/hlthaff.2024.00585

'Food Is Medicine' In The US: A National Survey Of Public ...

Each year in the US, poor nutrition causes more than 600,000 deaths and an estimated $1.1 trillion in preventable health care spending and lost ...

8.

hhs.gov

hhs.gov/press-room/fact-sheet-historic-reset-federal-nutrition-policy.html

Fact Sheet: Trump Administration Resets U.S. Nutrition ...

HHS released the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030, marking the most significant reset of federal nutrition policy in decades.

9.

tuftsfoodismedicine.org

tuftsfoodismedicine.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Tufts-Food-is-Medicine-Institute_2023-FIM-Fact-Sheet.pdf

Tufts-Food-is-Medicine-Institute_2023-FIM-Fact-Sheet.pdf

Lack of good nutrition is the number one driver of poor health outcomes in the U.S. Poor diets are the leading cause of death, with Americans with lower-incomes ...