N/A
Completed N=19
Enhancing Child Dietary Self-monitoring
Nutrition, Healthy
Source: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06193967 ↗
Enrolled (actual)
19
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Dec 2025
Primary outcomePrimary: Dietary Self-monitoring Frequency, Overall — 23.0; 24.3; 22.0; 25.3 days — p=>0.05
Summary
The goal of this clinical trial was to test the preliminary efficacy of a digital dietary self-monitoring (dDSM) log that uses positive reinforcement strategies (caregiver praise and gamification) to improve child engagement in DSM. The main aims were to:
* Conduct a proof-of-concept trial that examines the effects of positive reinforcement on child DSM behaviors.
* Explore differences in children's intrinsic motivation.
Participating children will be instructed to self-monitor their daily intake of targeted food groups (fruits, vegetables, sweet and salty snack foods, and sugar-sweetened beverages) for 4 weeks using a personal web-based DSM log. Each child-caregiver dyad will be randomly assigned to 1 of 4 conditions: BASIC, PRAISE, GAME, or PRAISE+GAME. For PRAISE and PRAISE+GAME conditions, caregivers will be instructed to provide daily process praise to their child related to DSM behaviors. For GAME and PRAISE+GAME conditions, logs will integrate three game mechanics: points, levels, and a virtual pet. Points will be accumulated for engaging in DSM behaviors, and accrual of points will evolve a virtual pet over time.
Outcome Measures
| Outcome | Result | p-value |
|---|---|---|
| PRIMARY Dietary Self-monitoring Frequency, Overall |
23.0; 24.3; 22.0; 25.3 | >0.05 |
| PRIMARY Dietary Self-monitoring Frequency, Weekly |
6.8; 6.8; 6.7; 6.9; 6.0; 6.5 | <0.001 sig |
| PRIMARY Proportion of Items Tracked on Day of Intake, Overall |
0.73; 0.69; 0.70; 0.73 | >0.05 |
| PRIMARY Proportion of Items Tracked on Day of Intake, Weekly |
0.84; 0.82; 0.82; 0.84; 0.71; 0.68 | 0.01 sig |
| PRIMARY Number of Logging Sessions, Overall |
24.6; 21.5; 22.4; 23.7 | >0.05 |
| PRIMARY Number of Logging Sessions, Weekly |
7.0; 7.2; 7.1; 7.1; 8.1; 5.2 | <0.0001 sig |
| SECONDARY Child Intrinsic Motivation |
4.7; 3.9; 3.3; 5.2; 5.4; 4.7 | >0.05 |
| SECONDARY Child Motivation to Change Eating Behaviors |
30.9; 30.4; 30.1; 31.2 | >0.05 |
| SECONDARY Child Dietary Intake, Fruit |
1.2; 0.9; 0.9; 1.2 | >0.05 |
| SECONDARY Child Dietary Intake, Vegetables Excluding Potatoes |
.6; .6; .4; .8 | >0.05 |
| SECONDARY Child Dietary Intake, Potatoes |
.2; .2; .1; .3 | >0.05 |
| SECONDARY Child Dietary Intake, Sweet & Salty Snack Foods |
36.5; 46.5; 38.3; 44.7 | >0.05 |
| SECONDARY Child Dietary Intake, Sugar-sweetened Beverages |
28.1; 26.0; 33.2; 20.9 | >0.05 |
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria
- Families with children ages 8-12 years with body mass index (BMI)-for-age ≥ 5th percentile who report eating foods/beverages (any serving size) from ≥2 targeted food groups (fruits, vegetables, sweet and salty snack foods, and SSBs) on ≥3 days/week each and who have an adult caregiver ≥18 years of age willing to participate
- Family has reliable access to the internet via phone, computer, or another device that the child is able and permitted to operate
Exclusion Criteria
- Child has major psychiatric diseases or organic brain syndromes
- Family does not live in the greater Knoxville area
- Family does not speak English
Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT06193967). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication. Informational only — not medical advice.