Reducing Free Sugar Intakes: A Role for Sweet Taste II

This randomised controlled trial aims to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice for reducing free sugar intakes, on intakes of free sugar, in a sample of the UK population.

The primary objective of this randomised controlled trial is to assess the effects of three different types of dietary advice, for reducing total energy intakes (TEI) of free sugars. A total of 150 participants (age 18-65 years) 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 randomised to replace high sugar foods with: 1) foods that are low in sugars, but high in sweet taste; 2) food 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 4. Secondary outcomes will include change in: BMI; dietary profiles; sweetness preference; sweetness liking; food choices; low calorie sweetened food intakes and adherence levels at week 4.