Reducing Free Sugar Intakes: A Role for Sweet Taste

The primary objective of this randomised control trial is to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice, for reducing total energy intakes (TEI) of free sugar. A total of 150 participants (age 18-65years) consuming diets \>5% total energy intake from dietary free sugars will be recruited from across the Dorset region. All participants will be asked to reduce their free sugar intake to \<5% TEI, and to aid with this, they will be encouraged to reduce their intakes of specific foods identified as high in free sugars. Participants will also be advised to replace these foods with other foods dependent on their taste. Participants will be randomized to replace high sugar foods with: 1) foods that are low in sugars, but high in sweet taste; 2) foods that are low in sugars, but high in other tastes; and 3) foods that are low in taste. The primary outcome will be changes in free sugar consumption from baseline to endpoint at week 12. Secondary outcomes include change in: BMI; dietary profiles; sweetness preference; sweetness liking; food choices; low calorie sweetener intakes and adherence levels at week 12.