Project details
Rationale: Free sugar intakes have been reliably associated with a number of poor health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and obesity (1), to result in current recommendations for consumers to reduce free sugar intakes (2,3). To facilitate adherence to these recommendations, various public health bodies also recommend reducing intakes of ‘sweet foods’, regardless of the source of the sweet taste (e.g. 3). However, low-calorie-sweeteners were developed with the primary purpose of providing sweet taste without the energy associated with sugar (4), and may facilitate adherence to recommendations to reduce free sugar intakes through the maintenance of a palatable diet (4).
Recent work of ours demonstrates the value of a single time-point dietary advice sheet for reducing free sugar intakes in UK high free sugar consumers (>5% total energy intake from free sugars) from ~10% total energy intakes to ~7% total energy intakes (5,6). Dietary advice sheets provided advice on sugar, high-sugar foods and substitutions for high-sugar foods in an additive manner, with some early benefits for the group receiving the advice on substitutions (6). Pilot work following this, funded by The Coca-Cola Company, demonstrates some benefit from providing substitutions intended to maintain the sweet taste of the diet (7). Evidence from the NDNS further suggests that the food groups contributing most to UK adult free sugar consumption are cereals and cereal products, including biscuits, cakes and pasties (26% free sugar consumption), sugar preserves and confectionary, including table sugar, confectionary and sweet spreads (24% free sugar consumption), and non-alcoholic beverages, including soft drinks, fruit drinks and tea and coffee (18% free sugar consumption) (8). Thus, advice specific to these foods may be of particular value.
Aim: This project will build on the previous work to investigate the value of a focus on taste for reducing free sugar intakes. Advice to substitute high-sugar foods will be provided to willing UK adult high sugar consumers (>5% total energy intake from free sugars (2)), and effects investigated for the following 12 weeks. The advice will focus on substituting high-sugar foods for 1) sweet tasting low-sugar foods or 2) non-sweet, but high-taste low-sugar foods, e.g. foods flavoured with herbs, spices, nuts and seeds, versus control, where no specific taste will be mentioned. The advice will stem from Public Health England (2), supplemented to target the three food groups known to contribute most to free sugar intakes in UK adults. Differential effects in intakes of these three food groups will also be investigated.
Methods: The work will be undertaken using a randomized controlled trial design. Healthy UK adult volunteers with high free sugar intakes (>5% total energy intake (2)), will be randomized to one of three dietary advice groups: ‘Reduce your intake of free sugars by substituting high-sugar foods with’:
- Low-sugar sweet foods, e.g. low-calorie-sweetened foods, fruits;
- Low-sugar foods high in a non-sweet taste, e.g. herb-flavoured crispbreads, spiced or nut yoghurts;
- Low-sugar low-taste foods, e.g., plain crispbreads, plain yoghurts.
In anticipation of a 2% difference in free sugar intakes as a % of total energy intake, between the two taste intervention groups and control, 60 participants per intervention group will be needed, resulting in a total sample size of 180 participants. Outcomes will be assessed using food diaries and laboratory test days at baseline, after 4 weeks and at the end of 12 weeks. Impacts on specific food groups and on participant diets will be investigated using secondary analyses. Participant experiences will also be investigated throughout the study using study-specific questionnaires, based also on our previous work (6).
Outcomes: The project will provide knowledge on the role of taste, and specifically the role of sweet taste, while attempting to reduce free sugar intakes, and will demonstrate the value of each strategy for consumers. The knowledge generated will be of value to Governments and public health professionals around the world, and will provide evidence of a role (or not) for low-calorie-sweeteners, fruit, their products and other flavoured products for reducing free sugar intakes; knowledge that will also be of value for the food industry. The work will also further understanding of dietary advice for encouraging free sugar intakes, including the advice to target specific food groups.
References
1. World Health Organization. Geneva: WHO, 2015;
2. Public Health England. 2017. Website: www.gov.uk.
3. World Health Organization. 2015. Website: http://www.emro.who.int/nutrition/strategy/ policy-statement-and-recommended-actions-for-lowering-sugarintake-and-reducing-prevalence-of-type-2-diabetes-and-obesity-inthe-eastern-mediterranean-region.html.
4. Mattes, RD. Physiol Behav. 2016; 164: 429–31.
5. Boxall, LR, et al. Proceedings, 2023; 91: 425.
6. Boxall, LR, et al. Am J Clin Nutr, under review.
7. Appleton, KM, et al. Proc Nutr Soc., under review.
8. Public Health England. 2020. National Diet and Survey. Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/ statistics/ndns-results-from-years-9-to-11-2016-to-2017-and-2018-to-2019
View the full project description (pdf 381kb)
The closing date is 31 August 2024.
Supervisors
Professor Katherine Appletone graduated from the University of Southampton in 1993 with a BSc (Hons) in Psychology, and from the University of Leeds in 1998 with a PhD in Biological Psychology / Nutrition. Since, she has worked as a Research Fellow at the University of Leeds (1999), University of Surrey (2000-2002), University of Bristol (2002-2005) and as a lecturer at Queen’s Unviersity Belfast (2005-2012). Katherine joined Bournemouth Unviersity in Sept. 2012, following a year long sabbatical at the University of Iowa, US. She is a Chartered Psychologist (British Psychological Society, 2001) and a Registered Nutritionist (Nutrition Society, 2001).
Funding
A fully-funded Studentship includes a maintenance grant of £18,622 per year to contribute towards living expenses during the course of your research, as well as a fee waiver for 36 months.
Associated costs, such as for fieldwork and conference attendance, will also be met under the Studentship.
Academic support
The Research Development Programme, developed by the Doctoral College in line with the Researcher Development Framework (Vitae).An added benefit is the opportunity to meet researchers from other academic schools at BU through the activities of the Doctoral College and benefit from their experiences, skills, and perspectives.
Full entry requirements
The BU PhD and MRes Studentships are open to UK, EU and International students.
Candidates for a PhD Studentship should demonstrate outstanding qualities and be motivated to complete a PhD in 4 years and must demonstrate:
- Outstanding academic potential as measured normally by either a 1st class honours degree (or equivalent Grade Point Average (GPA) or a Master’s degree with distinction or equivalent
- An IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 minimum (with a minimum 6.0 in each component, or equivalent) for candidates for whom English is not their first language and this must be evidenced at point of application.
In addition to satisfying minimum entry criteria, BU will look closely at the qualities, skills and background of each candidate and what they can bring to their chosen research project in order to ensure successful completion.
Applicants will be asked to submit an online application form and a proposal (approximately 1500 words) outlining their understanding of the project for which they are applying, the approach they would envisage taking and what qualities they will bring to the research community.
Please note:
- current BU Doctoral students are not eligible to apply for a Studentship
- current MRes/MPhil students can apply, subject to satisfactory completion of their Research Degree prior to being able to take up the award
- PhD Studentships cannot be used to support BU staff to complete doctoral programmes.
International entry requirements
If English is not your first language, you will need to provide evidence that you can understand English to a satisfactory level. English language requirements for this course are normally:
IELTS (Academic) score of 6.5 (with a minimum 6.0 in each component) or equivalent.
View further information about our English language requirements.
A number of pre-sessional English and preparatory programmes are offered through our partner institution, Bournemouth University International College, and will get you ready for study at BU at the appropriate level.
You can also find further details of the international qualifications we accept, and what level of study they apply to, on our postgraduate entry requirements page.
How to apply
Click the green ‘Apply now’ button at the top of the page and complete the online application form. You can find further guidance about applying for a postgraduate research degree in our Postgraduate Research section.
The closing date for applications 31 August 2024.
Careers
A research degree can open new career opportunities in commercial research and development, consultancy, or could lead you to starting your own business. You may alternatively consider a career in academia. You may wish to undertake research to contribute to your knowledge of a specialist subject, or develop your employability by enhancing your skills in project management and analysis.