Efficacy of Portion Size Measurement Aids (PSMA)

University of Alberta

Status: Completed

Conditions: Nutrition Assessment; Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: Portion Size Measurement Aids (PSMAs)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01262768

00010835

Details and patient eligibility

About

Portion size measurement aids (PSMAs) are tools that facilitate the estimation of food servings. The objectives of this study are to determine (a) if food portion size estimation accuracy differs when using a two dimensional (2D) PSMA (actual-size photos called Portion Size Cards) compared to a 3D PSMA (Portion Size Kit) and (b) whether differences exist in the short-term usefulness of and satisfaction with these PSMAs in a sample of parents of overweight children and youth. We hypothesize that the group that receives the 3D PSMAs will be more accurate in food portion size estimation and will be more satisfied with the tool compared to the group that receives the 2D PSMAs.

Full description

Forty primary caregivers of overweight children and youth attending the Pediatric Centre for Weight and Health (Edmonton, AB) will be recruited. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of the two groups (2D PSMAs versus 3D PSMAs). After a brief explanation of the respective tool, participants will estimate the volumes of pre-measured rubber food portion models on a test plate. Participants will then be given the 2D or 3D PSMAs to take home with them to use in the real-world. After 2-4 weeks, participants will be telephoned by the research team to complete a brief survey to evaluate their usefulness of and satisfaction with the 2D or 3D PSMAs at home.

Enrollment: 36 patients

Sex: All

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Participants must be primary caregivers of children or youth attending a clinical appointment for weight management (clients must have a BMI greater or equal to the 85th percentile at this clinic)
• Participants must be literate and fluent in English

Exclusion criteria

• Any participant who does not meet the above criteria
• Participants must not have had any previous education or resources on food portion sizes at this clinic

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

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36 participants in 2 patient groups

2D Portion Size Measurment Aids (PSMAs)

Experimental group

Description:

The 2D PSMAs are life-size photographs of the 3D PSMAs.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Portion Size Measurement Aids (PSMAs)

3D Portion Size Measurement Aids (PSMAs)

Experimental group

Description:

The 3D PSMAs include foam rubber replicas of a golf ball, a hockey puck, a tennis ball and a baseball.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Portion Size Measurement Aids (PSMAs)