(P42-36-26) Enhancing Dietary Perception & Acceptance of Pulses in Children Through an Innovative Nutritional Intervention Program “Bringing Pulses to the Dining Table” Study Protocol

Objectives: Dietary pulses-derived resistant starch enhances gut microbiome and butyrate levels, improves postprandial glycemia and gut barrier integrity, and reduces inflammation. Despite alignment with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, U.S. children consume few pulses, stressing the need for early exposure and family-based nutrition education to support long-term intake. Herein, we will assess if pulse-focused nutrition education, with/without pulse provision, improves children’s acceptance, dietary integration, and gut/metabolic outcomes.

Methods: A 6-week parallel-group randomized controlled trial in children aged 6–13 yrs. Eligibility: assessed by questionnaire. Exclusion criteria: frequent pulse intake ( >0.5 cup/wk), recent antibiotic use, metabolic/gastrointestinal disease, specific dietary patterns, or ≥5% weight change in 6-months.

Groups: Education-Only, receiving a 6-wk pulse-focused program, or Education+Pulse Provision, receiving education plus weekly pulses. Both groups consume 3 pulse-based meals/wk, increasing from 0.5 cups/wk in Wk-1 to 1.5 cups/wk by Wk-3 through Wk-6. Adherence is monitored by diet records and acceptability surveys.

At Baseline, families complete a 3-day diet record and collect fecal/urine samples. Assessments include blood/fecal samples, anthropometrics, body-composition, and blood pressure. Parents complete validated physical activity, pubertal development, and sleep questionnaires.

Intervention includes a 4-wk cooking series highlighting one pulse/wk: black beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, chickpeas. At Wk-6, baseline assessments are repeated, and families receive reinforcement education and a pulse-focused cookbook. A Wk-12 visit evaluates sustained intake/acceptability. Exploratory outcomes include gut microbiome, metabolome, gut transit time, lipid profiles, blood glucose, inflammatory markers, appetite hormones, and urinary serotonin/melatonin metabolites.

Results: Study enrollment and data collection are ongoing.

Conclusions: The study will guide larger-scale interventions integrating pulse-focused nutrition into evidence-based dietary guidance and inform future research on pulses and advance sustainable strategies to promote gut and metabolic health in children.

Funding Sources: USDA-ARS