NCT05627570: UPDATE

A Study Comparing the Health Effects of Two Diets Following UK Dietary Guidance in People Living With Overweight or Obesity

Completed NA Last updated 24 June 2025

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Healthy, balanced Diet A in Obesity in 55 participants. Completed in 4 June 2025.

Timeline

1 March 2023

Primary endpoint
14 October 2024

4 June 2025

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University College, London
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	crossover
Masking	single
Primary purpose	treatment
Enrollment	55
Start date	1 March 2023
Primary completion	14 October 2024
Estimated completion	4 June 2025
Sites	1 location across United Kingdom

Drugs / interventions tested

• Healthy, balanced Diet A
• Healthy, balanced Diet B
• Behavioural support intervention

Conditions studied

• Obesity — all drugs for Obesity →
• Cardiometabolic Syndrome — all drugs for Cardiometabolic Syndrome →
• Overweight — all drugs for Overweight →

Sponsor

University College, London

Who can join

Adults 18 to 65, any sex, with Obesity or Cardiometabolic Syndrome. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

There are two parts to this study:

1. The investigators will study if the benefit from eating a healthy, balanced diet depends on the types of food processing in the diet. The investigators will do this by providing participants with two diets that follow the Eatwell Guide (referred to in this study as Diet A and Diet B to avoid unblinding), but containing foods with different types of food processing, for 8 weeks each. The investigators will collect data on blood pressure, body composition, physical activity and fitness, questions regarding quality of life, mental health and wellbeing, and blood samples at the start of each diet and at 4 and 8 weeks into each diet.
2. The investigators will then study whether participants are able to switch from their usual unhealthy diet to a healthy, balanced diet, and the benefits of doing so. The investigators will do this by providing participants with 6 months of personal support. The investigators will also look at what helps participants to maintain a healthy diet, and what makes it difficult. The investigators will also support participants to be more physically active.

Publications & conference data

3 peer-reviewed publications reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Ultraprocessed or minimally processed diets following healthy dietary guidelines on weight and cardiometabolic health: a randomized, crossover trial.
   Dicken SJ, Jassil FC, Brown A, Kalis M, et al · · 2025 · cited 28× · PMID 40760353 · DOI 10.1038/s41591-025-03842-0
2. UPDATE trial: investigating the effects of ultra-processed versus minimally processed diets following UK dietary guidance on health outcomes: a protocol for an 8-week community-based cross-over randomised controlled trial in people with overweight or obesity, followed by a 6-mont
   Dicken S, Makaronidis J, van Tulleken C, Jassil FC, et al · · 2024 · cited 8× · PMID 38471681 · DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-079027
3. Development, content and planned evaluation of a behavioural support intervention to reduce ultraprocessed food intake and increase physical activity in UK healthcare workers: UPDATE trial stage 2 study protocol.
   Heuchan GN, Buck C, Conway R, Dicken S, et al · · 2025 · PMID 41161844 · DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2025-107435