Study of Two Nutrition Programs to Promote Healthy Eating and Prevent Weight Gain in Higher Education Students Aged 18 to 24

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are evaluating two multi-component dietary interventions aimed at promoting healthy and sustainable eating habits and preventing weight gain among Flemish higher education students. This study focuses on supporting students during the transition from secondary school to higher education, a period when unhealthy eating and weight gain are common. The interventions are part of a collaboration involving several research groups and the Flemish Institute for Healthy Living, with the goal of encouraging healthier lifestyle choices to reduce cancer risk. The interventions last for eight weeks and are implemented at a university and a college campus. They include social media campaigns on Instagram, behavioral nudges in student cafeterias to encourage healthier food choices, and interactive workshops that teach practical skills such as reading nutrition labels. Physical changes in dining areas and information stands on campus also support awareness and behavior change. Two other campuses serve as control groups with no intervention. Sales data of healthy food options will also be monitored during the intervention period. Participants will complete questionnaires before the intervention, immediately after, and five months later to measure changes in nutrition behavior, attitude, knowledge, self-efficacy, perceived food environment, intentions, barriers, cooking skills, weight, and height. A process evaluation involving focus groups and questionnaires will assess how the interventions are implemented and experienced. The study runs from February to December 2025 and aims to provide insights that could lead to scaling up the program for broader cancer prevention efforts.

Implementation and Evaluation of Nutrition Interventions