Clinical Research Directory

Serial Assessment of Body Fat Accrual in Very Preterm Infants

Despite evidence that both rapid weight gain and excessive body fat accrual are associated with overweight and obesity, usual neonatal care of preterm infants does not include assessment of body fat accrual. The study hypothesis is that identification of early changes in infant body composition (i.e. amount of fat mass and fat-free mass) reduces % body fat at 3 months of age.

Breastmilk and the Link to Overweight/Obesity and Maternal Diet in the Mother-breastmilk-child Triad

The prospective 5-month follow-up study will involve 150 mother-infant dyads grouped based on maternal baseline BMI category (normal weight, overweight, obesity). The investigators plan 3 study visits (1, 3, and 6 months postpartum) with analysis the following parameters and outcomes: 1. maternal anthropometry and body composition; 2. maternal dietary intake and dietary patterns (with results of biomarker-based validation); 3. maternal status of lipophilic antioxidants, selected vitamins, and fatty acids profile that may be related to adipose tissue metabolism, inflammation, and cardiometabolic status; 4. maternal metabolomics, adipokines, insulin, selected biomarkers of inflammation, altered glucose metabolism, and oxidation; 5. breastmilk composition assessed by systemic approach (macronutrients, fatty acids profile, lipophilic antioxidants, adipokines, hormones, immunological profile, and preliminary lipidomic analysis in part of the study group); 6. infant growth trajectory, body composition, urine metabolomics, and biomarkers of oxidative stress. Additionally, maternal and infant stool, buccal swabs, and human milk samples will be banked for further microbiome analysis studies.

Telehealth Weight Loss Program for Breast Cancer Survivors

This is a single-arm longitudinal group to examine patient-reported outcomes, body mass and mammographic density changes pre- and post- weight loss intervention of breast cancer survivors using video conferencing telehealth visits.

The Effect of PIOMI and Chronobiological Nutrition on Readiness for Feeding, Full Transition to Oral Feeding and Body Weight

This is a randomized controlled experimental study evaluating the effects of oral motor intervention and chronobiological approach to feeding model applied to preterm infants on feeding readiness, transition to total oral feeding and body weight.

Metabolic and Bio-behavioral Effects of Following Recommendations in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans

This study, at the Western Human Nutrition Research Center (WHNRC), will focus on whether or not achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight is the most important health promoting recommendation of the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA).The investigators hypothesize that improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors resulting from eating a DGA style diet will be greater in people whose energy intake is restricted to result in weight loss compared to those who maintain their weight. The investigators further propose that during a state of energy restriction, a higher nutrient quality diet such as the DGA style diet pattern, will result in greater improvement in cardiometabolic risk factors compared to a typical American diet (TAD) pattern that tends to be lower nutrient quality (more energy-dense and less nutrient-rich.)

The Effect of an Oral Nutritional Supplement on the Nutritional and Health Outcomes of the Elderly

I am conducting this research to find out if a peanut based food that is ready to use would improve the nutritional and health outcomes of the elderly when they consume it daily for 12 weeks. Eligible participants will be assigned randomly to any of these 2 groups. 1. To consume the food once a day in between meals in addition to their usual food for 12 weeks (3 months) or 2. A control group that will not be given the food. Measurements such as weight, blood pressure and the hand grip strength will be taken at the certain points of the study. A sterile needle will be used to draw about 5 ml of venous blood (from the arm) at the beginning of the study and after 12 weeks. Analyses would be carried out on the blood to know if the food has made an impact on serum albumin, ferritin, haemoglobin and cholesterol. If the findings of the study are favourable, it would provide insights for a larger randomized controlled trial that could establish the efficacy of a locally produced peanut based food for the feeding of the elderly.

LiPO Teen (the Lifestyle in Pregnancy and Offspring Teenagers

The study is a follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial (RCT) performed in 2007-10 - the "Lifestyle in Pregnancy" LiP study. The LiP study included 360 pregnant women with BMI ≥30 kg/m2 from Odense University Hospital and Aarhus University Hospital. The women were randomized to intervention with low-calorie diet and physical activity from gestational age 10-14 in pregnancy and until delivery - or to a standard care control group. The objective of the LiPO-Teen project is to perform a clinical follow-up study of the eligible 301 mothers who completed the trial until delivery with a liveborn child, and their 14 year-old offspring. The overall ambition is to understand whether lifestyle intervention in pregnancy prevents obesity and its complications across generations, with a specific focus on modifiable factors.

Health Effects of Substituting Sugary Beverages With Artificially-sweetened Beverages or Water

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) contribute an alarming \~7% of calories in the US diet among adults, making SSBs the single largest source of added sugar. However, whether artificially sweetened beverages are a healthful alternative for reducing SSB intake among habitual SSB consumers is unknown. Therefore, the investigators will conduct a 4-arm randomized diet intervention trial to test the effects of substituting SSBs with calorie-free alternatives on body weight and health, among habitual SSB consumers with overweight/obesity.

Addressing Weight Bias Internalization to Improve Adolescent Weight Management Outcomes: Randomized Pilot Trial

Weight stigma and weight bias internalization (WBI) are common among adolescents at higher weight statuses. WBI is associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes. The current study aims to test an intervention for weight stigma and WBI combined with an evidence-based adolescent weight management program. Eligible adolescents (13-17) will be assigned by chance to one of two groups: 1) a 4-week intervention focused on weight stigma and WBI followed by a 16-week behavioral weight management program; or 2) a 4-week health information control (to include non-weight-related health promotion topics such as smoking and skin cancer prevention) followed by the same 16-week weight management program but without the WBI and weight stigma content. Study outcomes will be assessed at the 4-week and post-treatment (20 week) timepoints.

Multivariate Biomarker Study for Sarcopenia in Heart Failure

In the United Kingdom, heart failure (HF) affects about 900,000 people with 60,000 new cases annually. Up to 60% of people living with HF also experience sarcopenia, known as loss of muscle mass and strength. Sarcopenia contributes significantly to low physical capacity and exercise intolerance and worsens the prognosis of the disease and quality of life. In comparison to primary sarcopenia (age-related sarcopenia), secondary sarcopenia occurs if other factors, including malignancy or organ failure, are evident in addition to aging. Secondary sarcopenia is highly common in patients with heart failure (Sarc-HF) (prevalence is 35%-69%), and has a significantly negative impact on exercise capacity, weight-adjusted peak maximal oxygen consumption, left ventricular function, and re-hospitalization rates and mortality. In this integrated study of NHS patients with HF, the investigators aim is to identify the underlying mechanisms of muscle weakness in HF utilizing including body composition, circulating metabolites (metabolic profile), and functional tests for (1) early detection of otherwise subclinical HF, (2) diagnostic assessment of clinically manifest HF-sarcopenia, (3) the risk stratification of subjects with a suspected or confirmed diagnosis, and (4) selection of an appropriate therapeutic intervention.

Pilot Study of Isocaloric Time Restricted Eating on Ketone Metabolism and Immunoregulation

Background: Time restricted eating (TRE) is a form of fasting in which a person eats only during a set window of time, which is usually between 4 and 10 hours each day. Researchers want to know more about how TRE may affect health. Objective: To learn how TRE affects women with different body sizes. Eligibility: Healthy women aged 18 to 50 years. Design: Participants will have 2 visits: 1 screening visit and one 5-day stay in the clinic. Participants will fast before both visits. They will have a physical exam with blood tests. They will talk to a nutritionist about the foods they eat. They will lay under a clear hood for up to 45 minutes during a test that measures how many calories they burn while resting. Participants will keep a food diary for up to 7 days before their clinic stay. They will apply a continuous glucose monitor the day before they go to the clinic. This is a device that attaches to the skin of the stomach. They will wear this device throughout their clinic stay. All meals will be provided during the clinic stay. Participants will follow TRE on 3 days. They will answer survey questions and have tests during their stay, including: * DXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) scan. Participants will lie on a padded table. Their body will be scanned to measure how much muscle, bone, fat, and other tissues they have. * Stable isotope tracer study. Small amounts of sugar and other substances will be given through a tube attached to a needle inserted into a vein in the arm. Blood samples will be collected.

Sports Nutrition Assessment Program

The NutriEvalUA program is an observational study aiming to assess the nutritional status, body composition, hydration, physical activity, and health indicators in university athletes. The main objective is to describe and evaluate dietary habits, supplement use, physical condition, and related risk factors to improve health and sports performance in this population. The main question it aims to answer is: What is the nutritional, body composition, hydration, physical activity, and general health profile of university athletes at the University of Alicante, and which factors are associated with potential risks to their performance and well-being?

Bariatric Embolization of Arteries for the Treatment of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis

Obesity is an epidemic in the US. With progression of obesity, Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) has been a growing public health issue. Presently there is no cure for NASH.Prevention of progression of fibrosis in NASH is crucial, as they are at a high risk for cirrhosis and may need liver transplant. Recent studies have shown that blocking blood vessels to a particular portion of the stomach (bariatric or left gastric artery embolization) can temporarily decrease levels of the appetite inducing hormone ghrelin, and result in weight loss.The purpose of this study is to determine if Left gastric artery embolization (LGAE) in patients with obesity and NASH leads to clinically significant weight loss with improvement of NASH.

Efficacy of Satisens® in Reducing Emotional Eating

This study evaluates the efficacy of Satisens®, a dietary supplement composed of plant extracts, in reducing emotional eating and sweet cravings in healthy adults. The study will analyze hormonal, neurotransmitter, and inflammatory markers to understand the underlying mechanisms.

Effects of FOR-Care Model on Preventive Medicine

This study aims to address the prevalence of undiagnosed hypertension and diabetes by assessing the impact of the FOR-Care model on preventive medicine. The model focuses on improving the documentation of blood pressure, height, and weight in outpatient settings. Through a cluster randomized trial at National Taiwan University Hospital, clinics will either implement the FOR-Care model or continue with usual care. The trial will evaluate the effectiveness of the intervention in documenting these measurements and its impact on diagnosing hypertension and diabetes. The outcomes will provide valuable insights into enhancing preventive medicine and improving care for chronic diseases.

Diet-Induced Changes in GEnetic Material

This is a pilot study in 10 men to test the hypothesis that perturbations in substrate flux and the circulating metabolic and pro-inflammatory milieus during a high-fat diet paradigm will modulate DNA methylation of genes in sperm associated with obesity and cardiometabolic dysfunction.

The Effects of Long-term Consumption of Full-fat Dairy Products on Satiety, Body Weight and Glycemic Control

The proposed study looks at the effect of long-term diet modification with or without full-fat dairy products or restrictive eating on body weight, body composition and cardiometabolic markers in healthy overweight/obese men and women.

Maternal Control of the Child's Feeding, Child's Eating Behavior and Early Childhood Caries in Preschoolers

Dental caries in children is considered one of the most prevalent oral diseases of this age group, leading to significant manifestations presenting as pain, interference with feeding, higher risk of developing dental caries in both, primary and permanent dentition. Dietary practices, along with the presence of bacteria in the oral cavity have been shown to be inextricably linked to the presence of dental caries. The latest evidence has demonstrated that certain types of eating behavioral traits in children could influence the development of dental caries.

Impact of Bright Light Therapy on Prader-Willi Syndrome

This is a placebo controlled clinical trial to assess the utility of light therapy as a sufficient treatment for excessive daytime sleepiness in patients with Prader-Willi Syndrome

TARGETing Healthy Weight Loss in the Context of Food Insecurity

This pilot and feasibility study will collect information from food insecure, as well as food secure, women with obesity to detail their desires and needs for healthy weight reduction. Up to 60 women with obesity will be enrolled. Pennington Biomedical Research Center will coordinate this qualitative study and use focus groups discussion to collect formative data.

Investigating Paclitaxel Toxicity in Breast Cancer: the Roles of Physical Activity and Body Composition.

This study looks into how a common breast cancer treatment, paclitaxel, can sometimes cause severe side effects that make it hard for patients to continue treatment. These side effects can significantly affect a patient's quality of life and even impact their recovery and overall health costs. What's interesting about this research is that it considers how a patient's lifestyle, specifically their physical activity levels and body makeup (like how much muscle and fat they have), might influence these side effects. The researchers are doing a detailed study with 40 women receiving paclitaxel treatment, tracking how the drug is processed in their bodies and how their body composition and physical activity might play a role in the side effects they experience. They are using a special method to monitor drug levels in the blood and are also keeping tabs on the patients' health and physical activity through questionnaires and modern tracking devices. The goal here is twofold: first, to better understand why these side effects happen to some people and not others, and second, to develop a model that can predict who might be at higher risk for these side effects based on their body composition, lifestyle, and how their body handles the drug. This could lead to more personalized treatment plans that could help reduce the risk of severe side effects and improve the overall treatment experience for patients with breast cancer. In simpler terms, this research is trying to find a way to make breast cancer treatment with paclitaxel safer and more comfortable by considering how a person's lifestyle and body type might affect their reaction to the drug. This could make a big difference in helping patients complete their treatment successfully and with a better quality of life.

Lipidomic Characterization in Non-metastatic Breast Cancer Women Undergoing Surgery: a Pilot Study.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn about breast cancer lipodome signature in patients waiting for surgery with different Body Mass Index. The main question it aims to answer are: * To highlight a specific lipidome molecular signature for breast cancer patients overweight and obese (BMI \> 25 Kg/m2) compared with patients of normal weight (BMI\<25 kg/m2). * Evaluate the effect of the pool of biochemical, nutritional and anatomical-pathological data of breast cancer patients and the correlation between molecular profile and body weight.

In-Person Lifestyle Program for Black Adolescent Girls at Risk for Type 2 Diabetes

The aim of this study is to look at changes in diabetes-related risk factors in Black adolescent girls who are at risk for type 2 diabetes and their primary female caregiver after both participating in a 12-week in-person lifestyle program.

A New Technological Intervention to Address Childhood Obesity:

Childhood obesity is a global public health issue, with rising prevalence rates. In Spain, the problem is significant, particularly in the southern regions. Factors contributing to childhood obesity include dietary habits, lack of physical activity, and socioeconomic influences. Efforts to address childhood obesity in Spain include various programs focusing on dietary modification, increased physical activity, and family involvement. Despite these initiatives, there is a need for continued intervention, as changing dietary and lifestyle patterns have led to reduced fruit and vegetable consumption and increased sedentary behavior among children. Childhood obesity has concerning health implications, including heart-related issues. Echocardiography plays a vital role in early detection. Given the limited research on the impact of childhood obesity on musculoskeletal development and mobility, a comprehensive study is needed to analyze its prevalence and associated factors. The study aims to assess the effectiveness of nutritional interventions administered by school nurses. In summary, childhood obesity in Spain is a growing concern, with multifaceted causes and health implications. Ongoing efforts are required to combat this issue and promote healthier lifestyles among children.