Spices and Herbs for Increasing Vegetable Intake
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?
"The goal of this study is to evaluate whether the addition of spices and herbs to the vegetables served to military personnel on a large military base can increase vegetable intake as compared to typical vegetable offerings without spices and herbs. A two-phase intervention will be conducted on base at Naval Station Activity Bethesda (NSAB) to evaluate whether the addition of spices and herbs to vegetable dishes can increase vegetable intake amongst military service members. Phase I will involve extensive engagement with key stakeholders involved in current vegetable consumption at NSAB, including military service members, staff dietitians, the health promotion specialist on base, barracks managers, military culinary specialist, unit leaders, morale welfare and recreations/single sailor program leaders, base senior enlisted leaders, and the base commander. Questionnaires will be administered evaluating current barriers to vegetable intake at NSAB, familiarity with and liking of a variety of spices and herbs, and sensory testing of several vegetables with and without spices and herbs. The recipes in the vegetable sensory testing comparisons will be identical other than spices and herbs content. Phase II will involve will focus upon the direct measurement of vegetable intake (primary outcome) and vegetable linking (secondary outcome) among active-duty service members with spices and herbs and without spices and herbs. The vegetables will be provided as part of an entire meal on a "grab and go" plate. The other foods in the meal (proteins, starches, etc.) accompanying the vegetables will be kept consistently paired to vegetable recipes to minimize confounding. Vegetable intake will be assessed via cell phone pictures and liking will be assessed by a single 5-point Likert scale question."
Research Team
Chris D'Adamo, PhD
Principal Investigator
Assistant Professor
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for junior enlisted service members (E1-E4) stationed at Naval Support Activity Bethesda who live in the barracks and can read and write English. It's not open to anyone under 18 or those not on active duty in the U.S. military.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Timeline
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Phase I
Engagement with stakeholders and sensory testing of vegetables with and without spices and herbs
Phase II
Direct measurement of vegetable intake and liking among service members with and without spices and herbs
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in vegetable intake and preferences after the intervention
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Plain
- Spices and Herbs
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
Lead Sponsor
McCormick Science Institute
Industry Sponsor
University of Maryland, Baltimore
Collaborator
Nova Institute for Health
Collaborator
Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine
Collaborator
Pennington Biomedical Research Center
Collaborator
McCormick Science Institute
Collaborator