Volunteers needed for nutrition study

Volunteers needed for nutrition study

An exciting new study on nutrition labelling is underway at the National Institute for Health Innovation at the University of Auckland, and volunteers are needed to take part.

Adult smartphone owners from across New Zealand are invited to take part in the five-week study. The Starlight trial will use smartphone technology to deliver the study intervention and record participant information, so there will be no need to attend clinic appointments.

Lead researcher Professor Cliona Ni Mhurchu says, “Poor diets and obesity are leading risk factors for ill-health in New Zealand. Nutrition labels inform consumers about the composition of foods and can support healthier choices, but many people find current nutrition labels hard to understand.”

“New front-of-pack labels deliver simple, ‘at-a-glance’ nutrition information to buyers. Our aim is to see if these labels have an effect on the healthiness of foods bought by New Zealand shoppers,” she says.

The aim is to recruit 1500 people from around New Zealand for the trial.

Following completion of a brief online screening questionnaire, eligible participants will be given access to a bespoke smartphone application (app). The interactive app will be live for five weeks, and will guide participants through all stages of the study, from registration to final data collection.

The app will enable completion of study questionnaires, delivery of the allocated nutrition labels (participants scan barcodes of food products to view the nutrition labels on their smartphone screen), collection and transmission of food purchasing data, and deliver regular reminder messages.

Study participants will receive up to $90 worth of vouchers in appreciation of their efforts. Anyone interested in taking part in the study should complete the brief screening questionnaire to find out if they are eligible to take part:http://www.diet.auckland.ac.nz/node/47.

Volunteers can also contact Dr Katya Volkova with any questions about on the study, on (09) 923 4742, or via email: starlight@nihi.auckland.ac.nz

ENDS

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