Can dietary changes help support children experiencing emotional dysregulation? The Whole Foods Diet Trial aims to explore the feasibility of supporting children experiencing emotional dysregulation to gradually reduce their consumption of ultra-processed foods and increase their intake of whole and minimally processed foods.
What is the whole food diet?
A whole foods diet focuses on eating a variety of foods that are minimally processed, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and other foods that provide the essential nutrients children need to thrive.
Many everyday foods are processed in some way, and these can still be part of a balanced diet. However, ultra-processed foods (UPFs), such as packaged snacks, sugary drinks, fast foods and many ready-to-eat meals, can make up a large part of children's diets. Evidence suggests that diet may play an important role in mental and emotional wellbeing. Higher consumption of ultra-processed foods (UPFs) has been associated with poorer mental health, while diets rich in whole and minimally processed foods may support overall wellbeing. However, little research has explored whether dietary changes are feasible and acceptable for children experiencing emotional dysregulation and their families.
Our whole foods diet approach aims to gradually reduce ultra-processed foods and increase the variety of minimally processed and whole foods children eat. The goal is to support families to make realistic, achievable changes that fit their everyday lives. This is not an elimination diet, and families will receive guidance and support throughout the process.
What is the study?
The Whole Foods Diet Trial is an 8-week pilot study exploring the feasibility of a whole foods diet intervention for children experiencing emotional dysregulation. We want to understand whether this approach is practical and acceptable for children and their families, and how families experience making dietary changes.
Children aged 7–11 years, together with a parent or legal guardian, will take part in the study. Families will receive dietary education, help setting individualised food goals, ongoing support, and access to a purpose-built smartphone app called Pantry to help build food literacy and identify ultra-processed foods.
Throughout the 8-week study, families will complete questionnaires at the beginning of the study and every two weeks thereafter. Every two weeks, families will also record their child’s food and drink intake in meal diaries on two chosen days: one weekday and one weekend day. In addition, families will meet with the research team via Zoom every four weeks to check in, discuss progress, and review dietary goals.
This is an early-stage feasibility study. It is designed to help us understand how practical the intervention is for families and inform future research. We hope the findings will help guide further investigation into the relationship between children's diets and emotional wellbeing.
There is no cost to participating. However, families will receive $40 supermarket voucher every fortnight to support any cost incurred whilst make dietary changes.
Can I participate?
Thank you for your interest in the Whole Foods Diet Trial!
Recruitment for our 2026 intake has now closed. However, we are planning to recruit families for our next intake in the first half of 2027.
We are interested in hearing from families with children aged 7–11 years who experience difficulties managing their emotions and have opportunity in their diet to make meaningful changes.
If you would like to register your interest in the 2027 intake, please sign up here: https://canterbury.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_1H0WJr8A2Xd6jLU
Registering your interest does not commit you to taking part or guarantee a place in the study. It allows our research team to assess your eligibility and get in touch with you about the next steps.
Contact
Email us at wholefoodtrial@gmail.com for more information.
Pantry collects information necessary to support its functionality and the research studies in which it is used.
Depending on the features used, this may include:
Participant information
- A unique participant identification code.
- Information about participation in a particular research study.
- Dates associated with study participation.
Dietary information
- Food and meal records.
- Food product barcodes and nutritional classifications.
- Photographs of meals or food ingredients voluntarily uploaded by participants.
- Notes and reflections associated with food consumption.
Wellbeing and behavioural information
- Self-reported mood, energy, and satisfaction associated with meals.
- Personalised dietary goals and preferences.
- Responses to in-app questions or reflections.
- Information about engagement with application features.
Technical information
- Information necessary to operate the application, maintain participant records, and synchronise data securely.
Pantry does not require participants to provide their names or personal contact information within the application.
Pantry collects information necessary to support its functionality and the research studies in which it is used.
Depending on the features used, this may include:
Participant information
- A unique participant identification code.
- Information about participation in a particular research study.
- Dates associated with study participation.
Dietary information
- Food and meal records.
- Food product barcodes and nutritional classifications.
- Photographs of meals or food ingredients voluntarily uploaded by participants.
- Notes and reflections associated with food consumption.
Wellbeing and behavioural information
- Self-reported mood, energy, and satisfaction associated with meals.
- Personalised dietary goals and preferences.
- Responses to in-app questions or reflections.
- Information about engagement with application features.
Technical information
- Information necessary to operate the application, maintain participant records, and synchronise data securely.
Pantry does not require participants to provide their names or personal contact information within the application.
Information collected through Pantry is used to:
- Provide the application’s food logging, dietary monitoring, and goal-setting features.
- Support participants’ engagement with their research study.
- Monitor application engagement and usage patterns.
- Investigate dietary behaviours and their relationships with health and wellbeing.
- Evaluate the feasibility, usability, and effectiveness of the application.
- Support academic research, analysis, and publication.
Research findings will be reported in aggregate or otherwise de-identified form, so that individual participants are not identified in publications.
Participant information is not used for advertising or commercial marketing.
Information collected through Pantry is used to:
- Provide the application’s food logging, dietary monitoring, and goal-setting features.
- Support participants’ engagement with their research study.
- Monitor application engagement and usage patterns.
- Investigate dietary behaviours and their relationships with health and wellbeing.
- Evaluate the feasibility, usability, and effectiveness of the application.
- Support academic research, analysis, and publication.
Research findings will be reported in aggregate or otherwise de-identified form, so that individual participants are not identified in publications.
Participant information is not used for advertising or commercial marketing.
Pantry uses Supabase, a cloud-based database service, to support secure data storage and synchronisation.
The database infrastructure used by Pantry is hosted in Sydney, Australia.
Appropriate technical safeguards are implemented to protect participant information, including authenticated access and database-level access controls.
Access to research data is restricted to authorised members of the research team.
Although reasonable precautions are taken to protect information, no electronic storage or transmission system can guarantee absolute security.
Pantry uses Supabase, a cloud-based database service, to support secure data storage and synchronisation.
The database infrastructure used by Pantry is hosted in Sydney, Australia.
Appropriate technical safeguards are implemented to protect participant information, including authenticated access and database-level access controls.
Access to research data is restricted to authorised members of the research team.
Although reasonable precautions are taken to protect information, no electronic storage or transmission system can guarantee absolute security.
Participant information is used for the research purposes described in the relevant study documentation.
Information may be accessible to authorised researchers involved in the study and to service providers responsible for operating the application’s technical infrastructure.
Pantry does not sell participant information to third parties.
Identifiable participant information will not be disclosed publicly in research publications.
Participant information is used for the research purposes described in the relevant study documentation.
Information may be accessible to authorised researchers involved in the study and to service providers responsible for operating the application’s technical infrastructure.
Pantry does not sell participant information to third parties.
Identifiable participant information will not be disclosed publicly in research publications.
Research data will be retained in accordance with the University of Canterbury’s research data management requirements and the conditions approved for the relevant research study.
Research data will be retained in accordance with the University of Canterbury’s research data management requirements and the conditions approved for the relevant research study.
Participants may contact the research team to:
- Request information about how their data is collected and used.
- Raise concerns about privacy or data security.
- Request access to information associated with their participant record.
- Request correction or deletion of information, where permitted by applicable law and research requirements.
Participants may contact the research team to:
- Request information about how their data is collected and used.
- Raise concerns about privacy or data security.
- Request access to information associated with their participant record.
- Request correction or deletion of information, where permitted by applicable law and research requirements.
Pantry may request permission to access the device’s camera to scan food product barcodes.
Participants may also choose to upload photographs of meals or ingredients using the application’s photo selection functionality.
Camera access is used only when participants choose to use the relevant feature.
Photographs selected for inclusion in meal records may be stored as part of the participant’s research data.
Pantry may request permission to access the device’s camera to scan food product barcodes.
Participants may also choose to upload photographs of meals or ingredients using the application’s photo selection functionality.
Camera access is used only when participants choose to use the relevant feature.
Photographs selected for inclusion in meal records may be stored as part of the participant’s research data.
This privacy policy may be updated to reflect changes to the application, research procedures, or applicable privacy requirements.
The most recent version will remain publicly available on this webpage.
This privacy policy may be updated to reflect changes to the application, research procedures, or applicable privacy requirements.
The most recent version will remain publicly available on this webpage.
For questions about Pantry, the collection or use of research data, or requests relating to personal information, please contact:
Email: isabella.garbett@pg.canterbury.ac.nz
For questions about Pantry, the collection or use of research data, or requests relating to personal information, please contact:
Email: isabella.garbett@pg.canterbury.ac.nz
About the Application
Pantry is currently used in approved research studies conducted through the University of Canterbury.
Access to the application may require a participant identification code provided by the research team.
Some features may be available only at particular stages of a research study.
Technical Support
If you experience difficulties using Pantry, including problems with accessing the application, recording meals, scanning products, or accessing features, please contact the research team.
When requesting assistance, please provide a description of the issue and, where appropriate, your participant identification code.
Please do not include sensitive personal or health information in an initial support request.
Support email: wholefoodtrial@gmail.com
Data Deletion Requests
Participants wishing to request the deletion of information associated with their Pantry account should contact the research team using the email address above.
Please include your participant identification code so that the research team can identify the relevant record.
Requests will be reviewed in accordance with the relevant research consent arrangements, University policies, and applicable legal requirements.
About the Application
Pantry is currently used in approved research studies conducted through the University of Canterbury.
Access to the application may require a participant identification code provided by the research team.
Some features may be available only at particular stages of a research study.
Technical Support
If you experience difficulties using Pantry, including problems with accessing the application, recording meals, scanning products, or accessing features, please contact the research team.
When requesting assistance, please provide a description of the issue and, where appropriate, your participant identification code.
Please do not include sensitive personal or health information in an initial support request.
Support email: wholefoodtrial@gmail.com
Data Deletion Requests
Participants wishing to request the deletion of information associated with their Pantry account should contact the research team using the email address above.
Please include your participant identification code so that the research team can identify the relevant record.
Requests will be reviewed in accordance with the relevant research consent arrangements, University policies, and applicable legal requirements.
