Reducing Dietary Added-Sugar Consumption During the Transition to College

Effects of a Novel Intervention to Reduce Dietary Added-Sugar Consumption During the Transition to College: A Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial

The goal of this cluster randomized controlled trial was to compare the effects of two single-session interventions (sugar-intensive vs. general health control) on added sugar intake, motivation to reduce sugar consumption, and factual knowledge about added sugar 6 weeks later, in a sample of first-semester undergraduates.

Excessive sugar consumption is recognized as a critical public health concern. For many young adults, the transition to college presents both risk and a promising opportunity to encourage formation of healthy dietary habits. Capitalizing on this window of opportunity, we conducted a cluster-randomized controlled trial to compare the effects of two single-session interventions on added sugar intake in a sample of first-semester undergraduates. Participants received either an intervention primarily focused on reducing added sugar consumption or a general health behavior intervention with units on physical activity, sleep, and healthy diet. Participants' added sugar intake, motivation to reduce sugar consumption, and factual knowledge about added sugar intake were compared at follow-up.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Students aged 18 years and older, enrolled in online sections of a required transition-to-college course at a large public university in the Southwest region of the U.S. All students in online sections of this class received the single-session intervention during their normal class period, early in the Fall 2020 semester, and were eligible to participate.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Age < 18 years.