Dietary QualityNCT07609368
Teaching Kitchens Intervention for Older Adults in a Senior Center in New England
An observational study of Dietary Quality, run by Tufts University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
This study will evaluate a culinary nutrition intervention designed to improve the quality of meals served to older adults participating in a senior center. Many meals currently provided in these settings do not meet recommended dietary guidelines, which negatively impact health outcomes among older adults. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 50 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Dietary Quality
- How many people
- 30 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Jul 2026to 1 Jun 2027
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 50 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: The participants for this study are senior center members either of the current lunch program or other programming events at "The Senior Center" in Glastonbury, Connecticut.
Who may be able to join
- Age 50 years or older
- Regularly visits the Senior Center either for lunch meals or other center-based programming
- Willing and able to participate in a 6-month intervention, which includes consistent involvement in the lunch program
- Willing and able to participate in multiple focus group discussions centered around meal preferences, health perceptions, and dietary habits (full study participation is 7 months)
- Capable of providing informed consent and completing an eligibility screening
Who cannot join
- History of moderate to severe neurological condition(s) that may impact cognitive ability (e.g., dementia, major stroke)
- Known severe food allergies that may interfere with participation. (with study MD approval, participants with mild allergies or intolerances may be included and notified not to consume any known allergens)
- Recent changes in health status that affect the ability to assess foods (e.g., altered appetite, smell, vision, hearing, and/or taste)
- Any disorder, unwillingness, or inability, not covered by any of the other exclusion criteria, which, in either the investigator's or study MD's opinion, might jeopardize the subject's compliance with the protocol. This includes impaired vision requiring assistance or aid from another person, impaired smell, or impaired taste perception. Given the number of written surveys and visual support materials, the study would place a large burden on participation for individuals with visual impairment requiring assistance.
- Individuals who have a cognitive, sensory, or physical impairment that prevents them from understanding the consent information or completing the required consent documentation will be excluded from participation.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
Glastonbury Senior Center
Glastonbury, Connecticut, 06033
Ronda Guberman, Senior Center Supervisor, 860-652-7646, ronda.guberman@glastonbury-ct.gov
About this study
Official title: A Pilot Teaching Kitchens Intervention Protocol to Improve the Dietary Quality of Congregate Meals for Older Adults
This study will evaluate a culinary nutrition intervention designed to improve the quality of meals served to older adults participating in a senior center. Many meals currently provided in these settings do not meet recommended dietary guidelines, which negatively impact health outcomes among older adults. In this pilot study, participants will receive improved lunch meals that are designed to be more nutritious, culturally appropriate, and acceptable, along with nutrition education sessions over a 6-month period. This intervention will also include training for food service staff to support implementation of the improved meals. The study will assess changes in dietary quality, physical health measures, and social and behavioral outcomes among participants at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Findings from this study will help determine the feasibility and effectiveness of this approach and inform future efforts to improve nutrition and health outcomes in Congregate Meal Program for older adults.
Read the detailed description
Congregate meal programs within senior centers serve a large population of older adults in the United States, yet many meals provided in these settings do not meet recommended dietary guidelines particularly for whole grains, micronutrients, sodium, and saturated fat. Poor dietary quality in this population may contribute to increased risk of chronic diseases, reduced physical function, and lower overall well-being. This study is a Phase III pilot feasibility study designed to evaluate a culinary nutrition intervention implemented in a senior meal center serving older adults. The intervention is based on a Teaching Kitchens model and includes three core components: (1) development and implementation of a nutritionally improved lunch menu, (2) training of food service staff to prepare healthier and culturally appropriate meals, and (3) delivery of nutrition education sessions to meal recipients. The intervention will be conducted over a 6-month period. Participants will receive reformulated lunch meals designed to improve dietary quality, alongside structured nutrition education sessions aimed at increasing nutritional literacy, supporting healthy food choices, and promoting engagement in the meal program. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated by measuring changes in dietary quality, physical health indicators, and psychosocial outcomes at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Outcomes will include dietary intake, anthropometric measures (e.g., body weight, hip-to-waist circumference, height), blood pressure, food security, and measures of social engagement and well-being. This study aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a scalable culinary nutrition intervention tailored to older adults in Congregate meal settings. Findings from this pilot study will inform the development of larger-scale interventions and may contribute to improving nutrition and health outcomes for older adults in similar programs.
- Conditions
- Dietary Quality
- Keywords
- Teaching Kitchen, Nutrition Literacy, Older Adults, Social Engagement, Congregate Meal Programs, Healthy Eating Index
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Center Meal Recipients | Adults aged 50+ who regularly attend The Senior Center in Glastonbury, CT and participate in the 6-month culinary nutrition intervention, including redesigned lunch meals, nutrition education sessions, focus groups, and dietary/health assessments. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Mean change from baseline to 6 months in dietary quality among meal recipients
The mean change from baseline to 6 months in dietary quality among meal recipients will be measured using the healthy eating index (HEI) and individual components of the HEI.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Secondary outcomes (13)
Satisfaction in meal program from baseline to 6 months
The satisfaction in meal program will be measured using the meal program satisfaction questionnaire from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean meal consumption scores from baseline to 6 months
The mean meal consumption scores will be measured through visual assessment of food discarded during weeks 3 and 7 using the official plate waste analysis guide.
Measured: Weeks 3 and 7 of meal implementation
Mean change in nutrition literacy from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in nutrition literacy will be assessed using a nutritional literacy survey for older adults from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in blood pressure from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in blood pressure (systolic/diastolic) will be assessed using an automated sphygmomanometer.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in body weight from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in body weight will be assessed using a digital scale from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: baseline to 6 months
Mean change in waist circumference from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in waist circumference using a tape measure will be assessed from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in hip circumference from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in hip circumference using a tape measure will be assessed from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in waist-to-hip circumference ratio from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in waist-to-hip circumference ratio will be mathematically calculated from the hip and waist measurements.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in height from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in height will be assessed using a stadiometer from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in body mass index (BMI) from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in body mass index will be mathematically calculated from the body weight and height measurements from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in Food and Nutrition Insecurity from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in food and nutrition insecurity will be measured through validated questionnaires (e.g., US Household Food Security Survey Module) from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean Change in Loneliness and Socialization Measures from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in loneliness and socialization measures using validated questionnaires (e.g., Socialization questionnaire) from baseline to 6 months.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in frequency of meal participation and participation in other activities at the Senior Center from baseline to 6 months
The mean change in frequency of meal participation and participation in other activities at the Senior Center will be assessed using the current Senior Center's attendance log.
Measured: Baseline to 6 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted27 May 2026
- Study start1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Jun 2027 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Dietary QualityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Tufts University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- Andres V Ardisson Korat, ScD, Principal investigator, Tuft's University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07609368
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- STUDY00007007
- Other IDs
- 58-8050-3-003, PT0445
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 19 May 2026
- Last updated
- 27 May 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: Participant privacy given the small sample size (n=30)
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 27 May 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- A Pilot Teaching Kitchens Intervention Protocol to Improve the Dietary Quality of Congregate Meals for Older Adults
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07609368
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- STUDY00007007
- Conditions
- Dietary Quality
- Keywords
- Teaching Kitchen, Nutrition Literacy, Older Adults, Social Engagement, Congregate Meal Programs, Healthy Eating Index
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 30 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Tufts UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging
- Study start
- 1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Mar 2027 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Jun 2027 (estimated)
- First posted
- 27 May 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study will evaluate a culinary nutrition intervention designed to improve the quality of meals served to older adults participating in a senior center. Many meals currently provided in these settings do not meet recommended dietary guidelines, which negatively impact health outcomes among older adults. In this pilot study, participants will receive improved lunch meals that are designed to be more nutritious, culturally appropriate, and acceptable, along with nutrition education sessions over a 6-month period. This intervention will also include training for food service staff to support implementation of the improved meals. The study will assess changes in dietary quality, physical health measures, and social and behavioral outcomes among participants at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Findings from this study will help determine the feasibility and effectiveness of this approach and inform future efforts to improve nutrition and health outcomes in Congregate Meal Program for older adults.
Detailed description
Congregate meal programs within senior centers serve a large population of older adults in the United States, yet many meals provided in these settings do not meet recommended dietary guidelines particularly for whole grains, micronutrients, sodium, and saturated fat. Poor dietary quality in this population may contribute to increased risk of chronic diseases, reduced physical function, and lower overall well-being. This study is a Phase III pilot feasibility study designed to evaluate a culinary nutrition intervention implemented in a senior meal center serving older adults. The intervention is based on a Teaching Kitchens model and includes three core components: (1) development and implementation of a nutritionally improved lunch menu, (2) training of food service staff to prepare healthier and culturally appropriate meals, and (3) delivery of nutrition education sessions to meal recipients. The intervention will be conducted over a 6-month period. Participants will receive reformulated lunch meals designed to improve dietary quality, alongside structured nutrition education sessions aimed at increasing nutritional literacy, supporting healthy food choices, and promoting engagement in the meal program. The effectiveness of the intervention will be evaluated by measuring changes in dietary quality, physical health indicators, and psychosocial outcomes at baseline, 3 months, and 6 months. Outcomes will include dietary intake, anthropometric measures (e.g., body weight, hip-to-waist circumference, height), blood pressure, food security, and measures of social engagement and well-being. This study aims to assess the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of a scalable culinary nutrition intervention tailored to older adults in Congregate meal settings. Findings from this pilot study will inform the development of larger-scale interventions and may contribute to improving nutrition and health outcomes for older adults in similar programs.
Study design
- Observational model
- Other
- Time perspective
- Prospective
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Senior Center Meal Recipients | – | –Adults aged 50+ who regularly attend The Senior Center in Glastonbury, CT and participate in the 6-month culinary nutrition intervention, including redesigned lunch meals, nutrition education sessions, focus groups, and dietary/health assessments. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 50 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- The participants for this study are senior center members either of the current lunch program or other programming events at "The Senior Center" in Glastonbury, Connecticut.
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Age 50 years or older
- Regularly visits the Senior Center either for lunch meals or other center-based programming
- Willing and able to participate in a 6-month intervention, which includes consistent involvement in the lunch program
- Willing and able to participate in multiple focus group discussions centered around meal preferences, health perceptions, and dietary habits (full study participation is 7 months)
- Capable of providing informed consent and completing an eligibility screening
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- History of moderate to severe neurological condition(s) that may impact cognitive ability (e.g., dementia, major stroke)
- Known severe food allergies that may interfere with participation. (with study MD approval, participants with mild allergies or intolerances may be included and notified not to consume any known allergens)
- Recent changes in health status that affect the ability to assess foods (e.g., altered appetite, smell, vision, hearing, and/or taste)
- Any disorder, unwillingness, or inability, not covered by any of the other exclusion criteria, which, in either the investigator's or study MD's opinion, might jeopardize the subject's compliance with the protocol. This includes impaired vision requiring assistance or aid from another person, impaired smell, or impaired taste perception. Given the number of written surveys and visual support materials, the study would place a large burden on participation for individuals with visual impairment requiring assistance.
- Individuals who have a cognitive, sensory, or physical impairment that prevents them from understanding the consent information or completing the required consent documentation will be excluded from participation.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Mean change from baseline to 6 months in dietary quality among meal recipients
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
The mean change from baseline to 6 months in dietary quality among meal recipients will be measured using the healthy eating index (HEI) and individual components of the HEI.
13 secondary outcomes
Satisfaction in meal program from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean meal consumption scores from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Weeks 3 and 7 of meal implementation
Mean change in nutrition literacy from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in blood pressure from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in body weight from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: baseline to 6 months
Mean change in waist circumference from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in hip circumference from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in waist-to-hip circumference ratio from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in height from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in body mass index (BMI) from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in Food and Nutrition Insecurity from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean Change in Loneliness and Socialization Measures from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Mean change in frequency of meal participation and participation in other activities at the Senior Center from baseline to 6 months
Time frame: Baseline to 6 months
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 27 May 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. Participant privacy given the small sample size (n=30)
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
Andres V Ardisson Korat, ScD principal investigator
Tuft's University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Dietary Quality, run by Tufts University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 27 May 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Andres V Ardisson Korat, ScD (617-556-3386, andres.ardisson_korat@tufts.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Mean change from baseline to 6 months in dietary quality among meal recipients (time frame: Baseline to 6 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 27 May 2026.