Rationale

Cardiovascular disease is responsible for a large proportion of all deaths in the UK, and poor diet quality is a key determinant. Early adulthood is an important period to address the development of diet and dietary behaviours, as it is when overweight and obesity prevalence rises the fastest. It is also a time of rapid personal change in living arrangements, education/occupational status, relationships and parenthood – all of which alter social, physical and economic environments, and thus diet and related health behaviours.

Few studies have investigated diet changes across this period and how this transition affects diet or lifestyle behaviours. The DEBEAT study investigates changes in diet from the last year of secondary school or college to the following year, researching how these changes vary between different socioeconomic groups, those following different early adulthood pathways, and the determinants of dietary change in different settings and populations.

A pilot study was run to test the data collection and recruitment methods intended for the main study and request participant feedback concerning participation.

---

Aims of the study

Primary Objective

Assess how diet quality changes from the final year of school or college to 12 months later.

Secondary Objective

Investigate how changes in diet quality differ between those who transition from secondary school into further/higher education, employment or not in education or employment.

Investigate how changes in the social and physical environment associated with these life transitions influence change in eating behaviours and diet quality.

---

Design

This observational study began in September 2023 and is set to take place across twelve months until Autumn 2024. The first round of data collection, to include Intake24, questionnaires and app-based measures, took place across two weeks in September 2023, and the same individuals will be followed up one year later in Autumn 2024.

Primary Outcome

Diet and eating behaviour data through Intake24 and other questionnaires.

Secondary Outcome

Individual socioeconomic status; neighbourhood, workplace food, home food and social environments; wider health behaviours; daily activities and time use; baseline demographics and health data; and mental health/eating disorder status.

---

Investigators

Dr Esther Van Sluijs (Principal Investigator) – University of Cambridge

Dr Eleanor Winpenny (Principal Investigator) – University of Cambridge

Emma Lachasseigne (Study Coordinator) – University of Cambridge

---

Status

Recruitment completed, 12 month follow-up ongoing.

Unit role

A unit-led study with responsibility for data.

Sponsors

The trial will be sponsored by the University of Cambridge.

Partners and Stakeholders

NIHR CRN Eastern.

Funding

The study is funded by the Medical Research Council.

Data Sharing

Please see our Data Sharing pages.