The Modifying Eating and Lifestyles at School Study (MEALS)

President and Fellows of Harvard College

Status: Completed

Conditions: Food Habits; Meals

Treatments: Behavioral: choice architecture; Other: Chef-enhanced meals

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02309840

21198-103

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of introducing healthier, chef-enhanced foods and/or environmental modifications (choice architecture) on selection and consumption of school foods among elementary and middle school students.

Full description

Project Modifying Eating and Lifestyles at School (MEALS) was a school-based study developed by the nonprofit organization Project Bread (www.ProjectBread.org) and the Harvard School of Public Health. Project Bread hired a professional chef to work with several schools in a low-income, urban school district in Massachusetts to enhance the palatability and nutrient profile of the school meals. Four schools were randomly assigned to receive the professional chef. Additionally, two schools in that district and four schools in a second school district were randomly assigned to receive a behavioral psychology intervention to influence the selection and consumption of the healthier foods offered. Selection and consumption were assessed at baseline, up to 3 months post-implementation (short-term implementation for chef-enhanced meals), up to 4 months post-implementation (long-term implementation for behavioral psychology) and/or up to 7 months post-implementation (long-term implementation for chef-enhanced meals).

Primary Aim 1: to examine the impact of introducing healthier, chef-enhanced foods with increased palatability on selection and consumption among elementary and middle school students. It is hypothesized that there will be an increase in the selection and consumption of entrees, fruits, and vegetables in schools where healthier, chef-enhanced foods are served.

Aim 2: to examine the impact of physical modifications to the placement and displays of foods in the cafeteria on selection/consumption among elementary and middle school students. It is hypothesized that there will be an increase in selection and consumption of entrees, milk, fruits, and vegetables when modifications are made.

Enrollment: 6,873 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 5 to 16 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Students in grades 1-8 attending a participating school and receiving a school meal on a study day

Exclusion criteria

• Bringing a lunch from home on a study day or not eating lunch in the cafeteria on a study day

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Factorial Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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6,873 participants in 4 patient groups

control

No Intervention group

Description:

Students received standard meals in a standard cafeteria environment

Chef

Experimental group

Description:

Students were exposed to chef-enhanced meals

Treatment:

Other: Chef-enhanced meals

choice architecture

Experimental group

Description:

Students were exposed to modifications to the physical environment in the cafeteria to "nudge" students towards healthier choices

Treatment:

Behavioral: choice architecture

Chef and choice architecture

Experimental group

Description:

Students were exposed to both chef-enhanced meals and modifications to the physical environment in the cafeteria to "nudge" students towards healthier choices

Treatment:

Other: Chef-enhanced meals

Behavioral: choice architecture