Effects of Diet Data Return on Human Dietary Patterns in Infants and Children

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are investigating how returning personalized diet data affects eating habits, gut microbiome structure and function, and overall health. The study includes infants, children, and adults, focusing especially on infants participating in Project HOPE 1000, which follows mothers and infants from pregnancy through early childhood. The goal is to see if receiving diet data based on stool sample analysis encourages healthier eating patterns. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group receives standard infant dietary guidance plus a report on their infant's dietary DNA data from stool samples, delivered electronically or by mail. The other group gets only the standard dietary guidance for children aged 12-24 months via mail or email, with personalized diet information provided only at the study's end. Stool samples are collected before and after the intervention to assess dietary changes. During the study, caregivers collect and ship infant stool samples for diet analysis. Researchers measure improvements in diet and increases in dietary diversity at 12 months, as well as changes in the gut microbiome's composition and function. Participants will be followed for up to 12 months, with data collected through reports and sample assessments. The study poses minimal risk beyond potential privacy concerns.

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