Multi-level Supermarket Discount Study

Mount Sinai Health System

Status: Completed

Conditions: Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: Discount Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04178824

GCO 16-1050

R01DK105440 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study team's objective is to test the effect of supermarket discount levels on fruit and vegetable (F&V) and non-caloric beverage purchasing and consumption, as well as health outcomes. The study team will implement this economic intervention in a local supermarket chain to assess the effects of a 32-week intervention of fruit and vegetable (F&V) and non-caloric beverage discounts of 30%, 15%, and 0% (control group) on purchasing, dietary intake, and health outcomes, including body weight and composition, blood pressure, and biochemical markers of cardiovascular disease risk. The 32-week intervention will be preceded by an 8-week baseline and will have a follow-up period of 16 weeks. There will be no discounts in effect during the baseline and follow-up periods.

Full description

The objective is to test the effect of supermarket discount levels on fruit and vegetable (F&V) and non-caloric beverage purchasing and consumption, as well as health outcomes. The study team will implement this economic intervention in a local supermarket chain to assess the effects of a 32-week intervention of fruit and vegetable (F&V) and non-caloric beverage discounts of 30%, 15%, and 0% (control group) on purchasing, dietary intake, and health outcomes, including body weight and composition, blood pressure, and biochemical markers of cardiovascular disease risk. The prediction is that the impact will increase with the level of discount. The 32-week intervention will be preceded by an 8-week baseline and will have a follow-up period of 16 weeks. There will be no discounts in effect during the baseline and follow-up periods. The prediction is that some of the interventional effects will carry over to the follow-up period.

Enrollment: 167 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• BMI: 24.5 - 50
• Weight Stable (±5% body weight in last 3 mo)
• Accessible by telephone
• Living in NYC and not planning move
• Primary household food shopper
• ≥50% of food shopping at Foodtown/Brooklyn Harvest and agrees to 100% shopping at store during study
• Consumption of >50% of food shopping
• Eat out or take out ≤5 times weekly

Exclusion criteria

• Pregnant or contemplating pregnancy
• Enrolled in related studies
• Active weight loss program
• Presence of serious medical (e.g. cancer, diabetes) or psychiatric disease (e.g. bipolar)
• Changes in medications or smoking in past 3 mo
• Excessive alcohol use (≥4 drinks/day) or illicit drug use
• Planning a vacation ≥ 4 consecutive weeks or 6 total weeks during study
• Receiving SNAP benefits

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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167 participants in 3 patient groups

Experimental 15% discount intervention

Experimental group

Description:

15% discount on fruits, vegetables and non-caloric beverages at the designated supermarkets

Treatment:

Behavioral: Discount Intervention

Experimental 30% discount intervention

Experimental group

Description:

30% discount on fruits, vegetables and non-caloric beverages at the designated supermarkets

Treatment:

Behavioral: Discount Intervention

No intervention control group

No Intervention group

Description:

0% discount on fruits, vegetables and non-caloric beverages at the designated supermarkets