Red and processed meat consumption of young adults in Portugal largely exceeds guidelines for healthy and sustainable diets, therefore this intervention seeks to replace up to 20,0% of their DPIRPM with protein from meat-free alternative sources. Other
Conditions
Interventions
DESIGN
All eligible couples consenting to participate and completing baseline measurements are randomly assigned to two parallel treatment groups (edible insect or plant based foods) or a wait-list co
Sponsors
Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Universidade do Porto
Sense Test, Sociedade de Estudos de Análise Sensorial a Produtos Alimentares, Lda
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: DEMOGRAPHICS 1. Age: 18-40 years. 2. Household composition: Two adults, no children = 3 years or that share adult meals. The other adult is a spouse or romantic partner eligible for participation. DIET 3. Food habits: Eat meat regularly and share same homecooked household dinner with spouse/partner at least three times a week (self-reported). ADHERENCE: ABILITIES & RESOURCES 4. Independent Portuguese speakers. 5. Independent internet users. 6. Own a device compatible with the requirements of outcome assessment. 7. Have sufficient time, skills and resources to adhere to study protocol, namely to complete outcome assessments and provision pick-ups as scheduled, to safely store foods and prepare daily meals at home, and to follow a weekly dinner menu planner. ADHERENCE: COMMITMENT 8. Willing to consume edible insect and plant based foods as alternative sources of protein throughout the study (self-reported). 9. Not participating or planning to participate in another trial during the study period (self-reported). 10. No planned absences from home (= three consecutive days) during the study period (self-reported) 11. Provided informed consent to participate.
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: HEALTH & NUTRITION STATUS 1. Diagnosed with physical or mental illness, or eating disorder (self-reported) 2. Undergoing or foreseeing to undergo medical treatment, including prescribed medication, during study (self-reported). 3. Pregnant or planning to conceive during study (self-reported). 4. Diagnosed with food or dust-mite allergies (self-reported) 5. Following or planning to follow a prescribed diet restricting the intake of energy, calorie-rich foods, protein, red meat, processed meat, legumes or pulses during study (self-reported). ADHERENCE: COMMITMENT 6. Returns outcome assessment data of insufficient quality for analysis at baseline. 7. Is deemed not to meet an inclusion criterion prior to group allocation.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Daily Protein Intake from Red and Processed Meats (DPIRPM, g) as well as its proportion to Daily Protein Intake (DPI, g), DPI from meat (DPIM, g) and from Meat-Free Alternatives (DPIMFA, g) are measured through self-reported four-day food diaries and food frequency questionnaires at baseline (T0 = Week 0) and end-line (T1 = Week 6) in all study groups, and at one follow-up (T2 = Week 8) in treatment groups only. | — |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| 1. Counts of lunches and dinners with Red and Processed Meats and Meat-Free Alternatives as major source of protein per week are measured through self-reported four-day food diaries and food frequency questionnaires at baseline (T0 = Week 0) and end-line (T1 = Week 6), in all study groups, and at one follow-up (T2 = Week 8), in treatment groups only. 2. Counts of dinners with Red and Processed Meats and Meat-Free Alternatives as major source of protein per week are measured through daily self-reporting during intervention weeks (Weeks 1-6) and a food frequency questionnaire administered at a second follow-up (T3 = Week 12), in all study groups. 3. BMI (= 20 years old, kg/m²) is measured at baseline (T0), end-line (T1 = Week 6) and one follow-up (T2 = Week 8) by a trained dietitian using the same calibrated beam balance scale and stadiometer set, in all study groups. 4. Acceptability and intention to eat intervention foods are measured under Central Location Test (CLT) at baseline (T0), end-line (T1 = Week 6) and one follow-up (T2 = Week 8) using self-administered 9-point hedonic and 11-point probability scales, respectively, in all study groups. 5. Acceptability of intervention foods and corresponding meal satiety are measured under Home Use Test (HUT) conditions per every consumption occasion during intervention weeks (Weeks 1-6) using self-administered 9-point hedonic (overall liking) and culturally-adapted Berkeley Hunger-Satiety scales, respectively, in all study groups. 6. Attachment to meat consumption is measured at baseline (T0), end-line (T1 = Week 6) and one follow-up (T2 = Week 8) using a self-administered Meat Attachment Questionnaire with items rated on a 7-point Likert scale, in all study groups. 7. Levels of disgust towards edible insects and insect-based foods are measured at baseline (T0), end-line (T1 = Week 6) and one follow-up (T2 = Week 8) using a self-administered, 11-point pictorial emoji scale, in all study groups. | — |
Countries
Portugal
Contacts
Public ContactRui ;Daniela Costa Lima;Guerra
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Outcome results
None listed