Potatoes as a Strategy to Improve Diet Quality in Young Children

The Pennsylvania State University (PENNSTATE)

Status: Not yet enrolling

Conditions: Dietary Intake

Treatments: Other: Potato and vegetable separate; Other: Potato appetizer; Other: Potato + vegetable; Other: No potato

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07358390

STUDY00027376

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to examine whether incorporating potatoes into meals-either paired with other vegetables or served as a first course-can improve preschoolers' vegetable intake, reduce excess energy intake, and improve overall diet quality. Findings will be used to inform whether potatoes, a well-liked and commonly consumed vegetable, could be leveraged in several ways to improve the overall diet quality of children.

Full description

The overall object of this study is to test potato-based strategies to improve diet quality in preschool age children. The specific aims are:

Aim 1: Determine if pairing potatoes with other less-preferred vegetables increases liking and intake of the non-potato vegetables.

Aim 2: Determine if potato-based dishes can be used strategically to reduce intake of more energy-dense entrees.

The effect of potato-based dishes on vegetable intake and total energy intake will be tested across four lunch-time sessions in preschool classrooms. Each lunch session will be randomly assigned to one of the potato dish conditions.

Enrollment: 200 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 2+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Child:

• Enrolled in participating Head Start classroom
• Age 2-6 years old

Parent:

• Parent/guardian of a participating child
• Age 18 years or older
• Able to read and answer questions in English

Teacher:

• Teacher/teaching staff member of a participating Head State classroom
• Age 18 years or older
• Able to read and answer questions in English

Exclusion criteria

Child:

• Allergy to potatoes
• Children who are not able to understand and answer questions in English may participate in all parts of the study except for the taste test ratings, which require the child to communicate with the research assistant

Parent:

- Child not enrolled in the study

Teacher exclusion criteria:

- None

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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200 participants in 6 patient groups

Randomization order 1

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will complete the four conditions in the following order: 1) potato + vegetable, 2) potato appetizer, 3) no potato, and 4) potato and vegetable separate

Treatment:

Other: No potato

Other: Potato + vegetable

Other: Potato appetizer

Other: Potato and vegetable separate

Randomization order 2

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will complete the four conditions in the following order: 1) no potato, 2) potato + vegetable, 3) potato and vegetable separate, and 4) potato appetizer

Treatment:

Other: No potato

Other: Potato + vegetable

Other: Potato appetizer

Other: Potato and vegetable separate

Randomization order 3

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will complete the four conditions in the following order: 1) potato and vegetable separate, 2) potato appetizer, 3) no potato, and 4) potato + vegetable

Treatment:

Other: No potato

Other: Potato + vegetable

Other: Potato appetizer

Other: Potato and vegetable separate

Randomization order 4

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will complete the four conditions in the following order: 1) potato appetizer, 2) no potato, 3) potato and vegetable separate, and 4) potato + vegetable

Treatment:

Other: No potato

Other: Potato + vegetable

Other: Potato appetizer

Other: Potato and vegetable separate

Randomization order 5

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will complete the four conditions in the following order: 1) no potato, 2) potato and vegetable separate, 3) potato + vegetable, and 4) potato appetizer

Treatment:

Other: No potato

Other: Potato + vegetable

Other: Potato appetizer

Other: Potato and vegetable separate

Randomization order 6

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will complete the four conditions in the following order: 1) potato + vegetable, 2) potato and vegetable separate, 3) potato appetizer, and 4) no potato

Treatment:

Other: No potato

Other: Potato + vegetable

Other: Potato appetizer

Other: Potato and vegetable separate