An Internet-based Self-help Intervention for the Reduction of Consumption of Ultra-processed Products and Increase of Physical Activity in Mexican University Population: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Phase: NA
Conditions: Physical Inactivity, Ultra Processed Food, Stress, Anxiety, Depression
Sponsor: University of Guadalajara

Cover page with the Official Title of the study: An Internet-based Self-help Intervention for 
the Reduction of Consumption of Ultra-processed Products and Increase of Physical Activity 
in Mexican University Population: Study Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. Date: 
April 9th , 2023 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Informed consent 
 
A group of researchers from the University of Twente, the University of Guadalajara (UDG), 
and collaborating institutions, are conducting a study with the aim of implementing a self-
applied online intervention based on scientific evidence for the acquisition of knowledge in the 
adoption of a healthy diet and physical activity to counteract the impact on psychopathological 
symptoms derived from the contingency by COVID-19. 
 
Before you decide whether or not to participate, you should know and understand each of the 
following sections. This process is known as informed consent. Feel free to ask about any 
aspect that helps you clarify your doubts about it. Once you have understood the study and if 
you want to participate, you will then be asked to click accept consent.  
 
Rationale for the study 
 
One of the main effects on the university population after the covid-19 pandemic has been the 
changes in diet. This intervention is aimed at the Mexican university population that was in 
confinement due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 
 
Objective of the intervention 
That the participant acquires knowledge in the adoption of a healthy diet and physical activity 
to counteract the impact on psychopathological symptoms derived from the COVID-19 
contingency. 
 
Procedure   
The intervention is composed of 9 interconnected modules and 2 follow-up modules, one for 
3 months and the last one for 6 months, to which you will have access when registering on 
the platform. To register on the platform, it is only necessary to provide your email. At no time 
during the study will you be asked for other types of information or sensitive or personally 
identifiable data such as your name, telephone number, address.  
 
Prior to the start of the modules, you will be asked to carry out a brief evaluation which consists 
of a series of questions, as well as various psychometric instruments that will take 30-35 
minutes. If there is a question that you do not understand, please notify the responsible 
investigator by email and continue with the next question. The important thing is that you 
answer exactly what is happening in your case, because that is precisely what we want to 
know. There are no right or wrong questions, so please answer as honestly as possible. 
 
After the assessment, you will be able to access each of the modules that constitute the 
intervention. 
 
Risks 
In accordance with the Regulations of the General Health Law on Health Research, this 
intervention is considered to have minimal risk, this means that only some psychological tests 
will be applied in which the subject's behavior will not be manipulated. not having affectation 
in the participating subjects..  
 
Willfulness 

Your participation in this study is completely voluntary, so you are free to stop participating in 
the study at any time. This program is totally free being part of the benefits of the study. And 
to be able to carry it out, we only ask you to have an internet connection and a device so that 
you can connect regularly and be able to carry out the intervention modules. 
 
Confidentiality 
The results of this research will be analyzed for research purposes and, therefore, may be 
published in scientific journals, books or disseminated by other means to the scientific 
community, taking care at all times of the confidentiality and anonymity of the data of the 
participants. This study has the approval of the research ethics committee of the University of 
Guadalajara of the University Center of Health Sciences. 
All information generated will be treated confidentially. Your identification data will not appear 
in the databases since only a participant page will be shown. In the final report of the study, in 
the publication of results in scientific congresses, in publications in scientific journals and at 
all times, your identity will remain anonymous. To guarantee the confidentiality and protection 
of your personal data, all forms and questionnaires will only have one code randomly assigned 
and they will not contain any type of personal data that could serve to identify you, not even 
by date of participation, adress, etc. 
 
Benefits that you will obtain by participating 
If you accept your participation, you will receive a self-applied online intervention, based on 
scientific evidence and completely free at all times, through a program of 9 interactive modules 
and 2 follow-up ones. 
 
If you agree with the above, we invite you to click accept. If you do not participate, you can 
close your internet window. 
 
In this application, you inform that you agree to voluntarily participate in this research that we 
are conducting and, therefore, are willing to complete the questionnaires. 
In addition to the above, it is important to clarify that: 
• 
I can request information about the study at any time during the process. 
• 
I can contact the people who are applying this series of questionnaires to dispel my 
doubts regarding the research. 
 
I understand that my participation is voluntary and that I can withdraw from the study: 
• 
Whenever I want 
• 
Without having to explain 
• 
Without this affecting my integrity as a person 
• 
I freely give my consent to participate in the study. 
 
If you have any questions, doubts, comments or concerns regarding the intervention, please 
contact fabiola.macias@academicos.udg.mx, principal investigator, where we guarantee to 
receive a response to whatever your concern may be. 
 
I freely give my consent to participate in the study: 
 
yes I agree to participate 

I do not accept to participate 
Please select the appropriate option or complete the space with the following information, as 
the case may be.