Clinical Research Directory

Interoception and Eating Behaviors in Children

The purpose of this study is to examine how individual differences in interoception (the ability to sense, interpret, and act on bodily feelings like hunger, fullness, thirst, hot, cold, etc.) relate to eating behaviors in children ages 7-10 years. Findings will inform whether interventions targeting interoceptive awareness may be helpful for prevention of obesity and related chronic diseases.

Eating Behaviors in Shift Workers

This study will compare eating behaviors and measures of hunger and fullness between day and night workers in order to better understand why night workers are at increased risk for obesity and related diseases.

The diabEAT Study: Insulin dElivery Technologies And eaTing Behaviours in People With Type 1 Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune health condition that requires daily injections of insulin. Insulin allows the body to use energy from carbohydrates in food. Disordered eating behaviours, like restricting food intake to lose body weight, are more common in women and people with type 1 diabetes, compared to those without because they must practice carbohydrate counting. Carbohydrate counting means identifying, measuring, and planning carbohydrate intake to match insulin dosage. New technologies, such as automated insulin delivery (AID) systems adjust insulin delivery in a blood sugar responsive manner. AID is rapidly replacing conventional insulin delivery like injections or non-automated insulin pumps since it reduces management burden and improves blood sugar levels. It is not known if AID reduces food management and disordered eating behaviours. This study aims to: 1. investigate the relationship between AID and eating behaviours according to gender for youth (12 to 17 years), and adults (18 years and older). 2. Determine the limit of carbohydrate counting inaccuracy to maintain stable blood sugar levels according to insulin delivery method (AID, injections, or pumps). It is hypothesized that those who use AID will have lower disordered eating behaviours and will maintain stable blood sugar levels while allowing for higher carbohydrate counting inaccuracy. This will be a cross-sectional cohort study of people with type 1 diabetes who are 12 years of age or over. Participants will be recruited through the BETTER registry and social medias across Canada. This research is needed to improve nutrition guidelines for type 1 diabetes in the context of new technologies like AID. Evidence from this study may reduce food management burden, lower the risk of disordered eating behaviours, and prevent eating disorders and medical complications.

Nutritious Eating With Soul Dissemination and Implementation

The investigators will conduct a full dissemination and implementation study using a type 2 hybrid effectiveness-implementation design. The investigators will conduct this study in the community and work with two vegan soul food restaurants. The investigators propose to examine the effectiveness and implementation of community-delivered, 3-month NEW Soul program among participants (N=228). Using a randomized design, the investigators will assess effectiveness of two delivery approaches: (1) In-person, live weekly classes with restaurant vouchers (intervention) or (2) restaurant voucher-only (active control). The investigators will also conduct a cost-effectiveness analysis of delivering the online intervention plus voucher vs. voucher-only with the outcome of cost/change in weight, healthy eating index, and quality adjusted life year. Lastly, the investigators will examine the implementation of the NEW Soul study with participants and intervention staff.

Evaluating the Validity and Feasibility of a Smartwatch-based Eating Detection System to Passively and Automatically Detect Eating Events in Child-parent Dyads

This study will test the validity and feasibility of an smartwatch-based system to detect eating and drinking events in both laboratory and free-living conditions.

The Relationship Between Enneagram Personality Types and Eating Behaviors, Emotional Eating, Psychological Well-Being, and Spirituality in Obese Individuals: A Holistic Approach

This study explores the relationship between Enneagram personality types and eating behaviors, emotional eating, psychological well-being, and spirituality in obese individuals from a holistic perspective.

Effects of Cross-sex Hormone Therapy on Eating Behavior, Metabolism, Energy Balance and Cardiovascular System

Current study aims to characterize five highly interconnected physiological systems in patients undergoing cross-sex hormone therapy - namely glucose and lipid metabolism, energy balance, eating behavior, functional brain networks involved in the regulation of eating behavior and the cardiovascular system - to gain novel insights into the effects of sex hormones on the human body. Gathered information will help to identify pathophysiological mechanisms for the development of overeating/obesity, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular disease. Secondarily, the relationships between the gut and oral microbiomes and metabolomes and circulating bacterial signatures will be investigated in relation to the other pervasive physiological systems. Current study is an observational study. The decision if the patient's request for cross-sex hormone therapy can complied with (i.e., if cross-sex hormone therapy is medically indicated) is made prior to the first contact with the study center and with the outpatients clinic for Endocrinology at the University Hospital in Leipzig. Decision ifor treatment is made according to national and international guidelines. Treatment of study participants with testosterone and estradiol/antiandrogens is not affected by the study. During the course of the study no invasive interventions are being performed.

Nurturing Needs Study: Parenting Food Motivated Children

High food motivation among children is trait-like and increases risks of unhealthy dietary intake and obesity. Scientific knowledge of how parenting can best support healthy eating habits and growth among children who are predisposed to overeating is surprisingly limited. This investigation will identify supportive food parenting approaches for obesity prevention that address the needs of highly food motivated children.

Mother-Baby Study - Caloric Compensation Index (COMPX)

The study will test a model of biobehavioral mechanisms involved in the development of a system of emotion, attachment, and nutritive intake in the mother-infant dyad and the association of this system with maternal feeding behavior, child eating behavior, dietary intake, and adiposity. To participate in this study the infant must also be enrolled in long-term observational study, NCT06039878.

Mother-Baby Study - Relative Reinforcing Value (RRV)

The study will test a model of biobehavioral mechanisms involved in the development of a system of emotion, attachment, and nutritive intake in the mother-infant dyad and the association of this system with maternal feeding behavior, child eating behavior, dietary intake, and adiposity. To participate in this study the infant must also be enrolled in long-term observational study, NCT06039878.

Mother-Baby Study - Eating in the Absence of Hunger (EAH)

The study will test a model of biobehavioral mechanisms involved in the development of a system of emotion, attachment, and nutritive intake in the mother-infant dyad and the association of this system with maternal feeding behavior, child eating behavior, dietary intake, and adiposity. To participate in this study the infant must also be enrolled in long-term observational study, NCT06039878.

The Development of Eating Behavior in Infancy: Associations With Behavior, Diet, and Growth at School Age

This study will examine children's eating behavior. The study will enroll approximately 400 participants (200 child/parent pairs). At certain time points, participants will engage in activities involving the presentation of food and the observation of behavioral responses to these presentations, as well as the completion of questionnaires

Food for Thought: Executive Functioning Around Eating Among Children

Scientific knowledge of the cognitive-developmental processes that serve to support children's appetite self-regulation are surprisingly limited. This investigation will provide new scientific directions for obesity prevention by elucidating cognitive-developmental influences on young children's ability to make healthy food choices and eat in moderation.

Type 1 Diabetes Adolescents for Healthier Lifestyles Study

Before the 1990s, obesity was rare among young people with type 1 diabetes (T1D), but now it is more common. Recent studies show that over 50% of young people with T1D will have overweight or obesity within five years of being diagnosed with T1D. Both obesity and T1D increase the risk of heart disease, and combined, these risks are even higher. Intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatments (IHBLTs) are proven to be effective for treating childhood obesity. However, managing T1D creates unique challenges that require adjustments to these treatments. For example, people with T1D need to eat even when they're not hungry to treat low blood sugar, blood sugar changes can make exercise harder, and some recommended "free foods" are high in unhealthy fats. Young people with T1D are also more likely to develop eating disorders. There is a need for IHBLTs that address these specific challenges and focus on preventing eating disorders in this group. To address these needs, we developed the Type 1 Diabetes Adolescents for healthier Lifestyles (T1DAL) program, based on feedback from teenagers with T1D, their parents/caregivers, and pediatric endocrinologists. The goal of this study is to test whether the T1DAL program can improve the health and wellbeing of teens compared to usual care. In this study, about 50 teens will be randomly assigned to either the T1DAL program or to Usual Care. Those in the T1DAL group will take part in a 16-week program designed specifically for teens with T1D to improve eating habits and diabetes management. Those in the Usual Care group will continue with their regular endocrinology appointments. At the end of the study, the Usual Care group will be offered a shortened version of the T1DAL program. All participants will have their height, weight, blood glucose, eating habits, diabetes management behaviors, and mood measured at the start and end of the study. They will also answer questions to track unhealthy eating and weight control behaviors over time. Additional analyses will look at factors that may lead to these behaviors in real life. This project builds on Dr. Warnick's previous work in pediatric obesity and T1D, and it supports the NIDDK's goal of reducing diabetes-related heart problems. T1DAL could become an important public health program to improve the health of teens with T1D.

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.

Profiling the Dynamic of Binge Eating Disorder (PRODY-BED)

The goal of this observational study is to explore if different and specific profiles can be identified in adults with binge eating disorder (BED) depending on their additional eating pathology, emotion regulation and executive functions. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is there different and specific subgroups of patients with BED according to baseline profiles in emotion regulation, executive function and additional eating pathology (including restriction, chaotic eating, grazing and eating on external cues)? * Are subgroups of individuals with BED (based on identified profiles) associated with outcome at end of treatment and follow-up? * What is the trajectories in remission rates of specific symptom dimensions (eating disorder pathology, emotion regulation, executive function, and depressive symptoms) in individuals with BED and is there specific trajectory profiles in these dimensions? * Is early changes in specific symptom dimensions (eating pathology, emotion regulation, executive function, or depression) associated with outcome of BED? Participants will be asked to fill in questionnaires before treatment as usual, 10 weeks into treatment, at end of treatment and at 6- and 12-month follow-up.

INTERconNEcT-Eds: a Guided Self-help Mobile App to Improve Outcome in Eating Disorders

Eating disorders (EDs) are psychiatric illnesses characterised by pathological eating behaviours, ranging from protracted undereating to recurrent loss of control over eating. Based on the transdiagnostic approach, EDs are triggered and maintained by interpersonal distress and difficulties to manage negative emotions. Thus, interpersonal skills have been implicated as important targets for change in the treatment. In this project, we will adopt digital technologies to improve treatment adherence and outcome of individuals with EDs, by testing the effectiveness of an online self-help program delivered through a mobile app. Specifically, this project aims to establish if an online personalized self-help approach is feasible and effective in ameliorating eating disorder symptoms and distress. We planned to conduct two randomised controlled trials to test the effectiveness of online guided self-help (GSH) in two different settings: (1) the community, and (2) the outpatient setting. This is to establish at which stage of treatment this approach is most helpful. Across studies, we will recruit 242 individuals aged ≥18 years with ED symptoms and/or a proper diagnosis of EDs (DSM-5). During eight weeks period, GSH will be available to participants both on a website and a new-developed smartphone app and consists of written materials and brief video-clips, a weekly chat based forum group and an online interpersonal group session. Guidance in forum groups will be facilitated by non-specialist help-care providers (i.e., peer mentors); whereas experienced mental health providers will lead the online group sessions. Participant's interpersonal distress will be assessed at intake to personalize guidance in the group, by addressing dysfunctional interpersonal characteristics which can be associated with ED symptoms. Participants will also complete a weekly working alliance measure to examine whether the quality of relationship with mentor predicts clients' level of clinical change. Regarding the outpatient setting, the first aim is to assess if GSH intervention is effective to improve the following primary outcome for patients with ED diagnosis: 1) overall psychological distress. In the community setting, the study aims to examine if GSH is effective to improve the following primary outcomes for individuals with self-reported ED symptoms: 1) overall psychological distress; 2) first contact with clinical services to manage their dysfunctional eating behaviors.

Alternative Healthcare Delivery Strategies to Prevent Weight Regain After Bariatric Surgery

Bariatric surgery is the most effective treatment for severe obesity, yet a significant percentage of patients achieve suboptimal results or present long-term weight regain. Given the strong association between poor outcomes and post-surgery psychological factors, it is crucial to implement post-surgical psychological interventions. This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the efficacy of a novel, cost-effective, and timely-personalized treatment delivering strategy (stepped-care) with two different intensities 1) low-intensity intervention delivered by Facebook®, and 2) high-intensity program delivered online. It is also intended to study predictors, outcome moderators/mediators, and the underlying mechanisms of weight regain. Participants' assessment will include measures of pathological eating behavior, psychological impairment, negative urgency, and emotional regulation.

Visceral Adiposity, Vagal Tone and Food Preferences: a Pilot Study

Food preferences are defined by a number of measurable parameters, such as per se food choices, sensitivity of taste and olfactory sensory perceptions, hedonic appreciation of foods ("liking") and motivation to consume them ("wanting"). These food preferences are fundamental to the quality of food intake, and are therefore a key factor influencing weight loss or maintenance of a stable weight. Obesity is also associated with reduced sensory sensitivity to taste and smell, as well as disturbances in the responses of the food reward system. However, the internal, or physiological, mechanisms impacting these food preferences are still poorly understood. To date, several studies seem to point to the role of body composition, in particular visceral adiposity, or adiposity surrounding the digestive organs. Indeed, a high level of visceral adiposity is associated with the onset of numerous cardiometabolic disorders, but also with altered sensory perceptions. This relationship could be mediated by the vagus nerve, which connects the digestive organs to the brain, enabling the perception of internal signals sent by the body, such as feelings of hunger or satiety. Low vagal activity is associated not only with abdominal obesity, but also with reduced sensory sensitivity to taste and smell, and changes in food choices in favor of energy-dense foods (rich in fats and/or sugars). Electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve is now recognized as a possible treatment for morbid obesity in the USA, but the mechanisms leading to the expected weight loss are still debated. Similarly, an increase in vagal tone has been found in patients who have undergone bariatric surgery for the treatment of severe complicated to morbid obesity, in parallel with sensory disturbances. The overall aim of this project is to explore and confirm the relationship between visceral adiposity and various food preference parameters, such as olfactory and gustatory perceptions and reward system responses, involving liking and wanting certain foods and associated behaviors. This project also aims to shed light on the possible mediation of the vagus nerve in this relationship.

Mind Nutrition Study. Effectiveness of Improving Nutrition on Depressive Symptoms and Work Ability

The goal of this randomized, controlled trial is to examine the effectiveness of dietary counseling on depressive symptoms, work ability, and quality of life in mental health and substance abuse professionals. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Whether dietary counseling can lower depressive symptoms and depressive symptoms-related sick leave days and improve work ability among mental health and substance abuse professionals * Whether dietary counseling can improve life quality, diet quality, and eating behavior among mental health and substance abuse professionals. Subjects of the intervention group will participate in five dietary counseling sessions during six months. Participants in the control group do not receive any intervention. Researchers will compare the intervention and control groups to see if dietary counseling is effective in reducing the risk of depressiveness and depression-related sick leave days and improving work ability, quality of life, and nutritional habits.

Time Restricted Eating, Eating Behaviors, and Cardiometabolic Risk in Emerging Adult Women

The purpose of this study is to assess how time restricted eating interventions impact eating behaviors, diet quality, and body composition in women ages 20-29 years. Participants will be asked to limit all food and drinks (except water and some non-caloric beverages) to a 10-hour period during the day for four weeks. Participants will follow their usual eating and activity patterns for one week before starting, and follow whatever eating pattern they want for 4 weeks after finishing.

Gut Hormone LEAP2 in Metabolism and Eating Behaviour: Fixed Meal Testing

The goal of this interventional study is to measure the blood levels of the gut hormones LEAP2 and acyl ghrelin (AG), appetite and food intake after consuming liquid meals of different caloric sizes, in healthy adults with and without obesity. AG is a stomach-derived homone that increases appetite, and LEAP2 a liver-gut derived hormone that decreases appetite, which interferes the action of AG ant its receptor in the brain called the growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHSR). Blood levels of AG and LEAP2 change in opposite directions after food intake (AG decreasing, LEAP2 increasing). AG is formed from an inactive version of hormone called desacyl ghrelin (DAG). Previous studies have shown that greater food intake leads to a greater decrease in blood levels of total ghrelin (AG + DAG), but this has not been studied for changes in blood AG or LEAP2 after eating. Blood levels of AG and total ghrelin when fasted and after food intake are lower, while blood levels of LEAP2 are higher, in adults with than those without obesity. The main study questions are: 1. Are there greater increases in blood levels of LEAP2 and greater decreases in blood levels of AG after consuming larger meals (by amount of calories they contain)? 2. Are greater decreases in appetite after connsuming larger meals related to greater increases in blood levels of LEAP2 and greater decreases in blood levels of AG? 3. Are greater decreases in food intake at a buffet lunch after consuming larger meals eaten a few hours previously related to greater increases in blood levels of LEAP2 and greater decreases in blood levels of AG? 4. Do the above findings differ between adults without obesity and with obesity? At each of 4 study days, healthy adults (without and with obesity) will consume one size of a single liquid meal containing different amounts of calories (0, 600, 900 (group without obesity only), 1200, 1800 (group with obesity only) kilocalories, of identical total volume) after an overnight fast and have measurements of blood LEAP2 and AG and appetite ratings from 0 to 180 min, and have food intake at an ad libitum lunch measured at 180 mins. Food will be weighed and converted into kilocalories. All participants will attend for all 4 study visits in a randomised order to receive one of the meal sizes at each visit, so that all 4 meal zizes are consumed over all 4 study visits: 0, 600, 900 (group without obesity), 1200, 1800 (group with obesity) kcal.

Evaluation of Planetary Health Diet Recommendation Using Mobile Application in Adults

In recent years, the planetary health diet proposed by the EAT-Lancet Commission has underscored the importance of massive changes to healthy eating on a global scale to prevent environmental degradation. Diet management helps individuals control their food consumption, and this can be supported by the availability of technology through mobile applications. The use of mobile applications considers several aspects such as convenience, comfort, and self-management efficiency in maintaining food consumption. By using an application with the latest features related to diet management, which is equipped with dietary education features, gas emissions, and calculating environmental impacts, it allows users to increase self-awareness to reduce gas emissions from food consumption. Therefore, developing recommendations for a balanced nutritional diet, healthy lifestyle, calculating diet quality, and greenhouse gas emission in one application that is presented in one easy step is an important point in providing comprehensive information for a wider range of potential users. The main objective of this study is to assess the differences in changes in body weight, BMI, waist circumference, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure between the group that was given education on a planetary health diet with calorie restriction and a healthy lifestyle and the group that received education on a balanced diet with calorie restriction and a healthy lifestyle in adults using the 3rd generation of EatsUp mobile application. We will conduct a 24-week intervention for overweight and obese adults.

Eating Behavior and Weight Trajectory After Bariatric Surgery

Studying the mechanisms of weight regain (WR) may provide much needed insight into sustained obesity management. The aim of this five-year, prospective, multicenter study is to evaluate the association among eating patterns (specifically maladaptive behaviors), certain psychological variables and weight trajectory in the short- and long-term after bariatric surgery (BS). The study will include 2 groups: 1.- Candidates to primary BS undergoing laparoscopic gastric bypass (LGBP) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) from September 2020 to September 2021. This group will be evaluated prior to surgery, at 4 months, 1 year, 3 years and 5 years after BS, and 2.- a control group of subjects with obesity not candidates to BS matched with the intervention group for age, sex and BMI prior to BS. They will be evaluated once. The primary variable will be: body weight: total weight lost (%), excess weight lost (%), total weight regained (%), excess of weight regain (%). Information regarding the psychological and behavioral variables will be collected using questionnaires that have been validated in our setting and will be completed by the patients themselves online.