Clinical Research Directory

Whole Food for Families: A Pilot RCT of a Dietary Guidelines-Based Intervention to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes

This study will address the following aims: Aim 1 (primary): Conduct a pilot RCT to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, enrollment, and retention rates of adult-child pairs after a 12-week family-centered, non-calorie restricted whole foods diet. Feasibility: ≥80% participant retention and completion of study outcome measures. Acceptability: ≥75 adult diet satisfaction via survey report and/or perceived diet satisfaction via focus groups. Aim 2: Conduct a pilot RCT to evaluate the preliminary effectiveness of a non-calorie restricted whole foods diet on adult HbA1c at 12 weeks and adult/child diet quality during the 12-week intervention. Aim 2a: Evaluate intervention effects on HbA1c measures in adults with prediabetes. Hypothesis 2a: Adults randomized to the treatment group will have lower HbA1c measures at 12 weeks than those in the control group. Aim 2b: Evaluate intervention effects on the diet quality (via the 2020 HEI) of adults and children. Hypothesis 2b: Adults and children randomized to the treatment group will have a higher diet quality score during the 12-week intervention period compared to adults and children in the control group. Aim 3: Conduct family focus groups to understand how SDOH and individual/family needs and preferences may be perceived barriers or facilitators of diet adherence.

Effect of Intensive Nutrition Training, Education, and Support in Gestational Diabetes - The INTENSE-GDM TRIAL

The treatment of gestational diabetes (GDM) primarily revolves around consuming an optimal diet that does not cause blood glucose levels to become excessively high and provides an adequate supply of micro- and macronutrients without resulting in excessive weight gain during pregnancy. In some cases, it may become necessary to supplement with insulin during pregnancy. However, insulin treatment is associated with personal, health-related, and healthcare cost-related implications. The rationale for this study is the lack of knowledge regarding whether the extent of support and guidance from a dietitian during pregnancy has an impact on the treatment outcomes for both the mother and the child in cases of GDM. The overall objective is to investigate differences in clinical, cost-related, and patient-reported outcomes between women with GDM randomised to either intensive dietary therapy or standard dietary care (control). The primary endpoint is the effect of intensive dietary therapy on the likelihood of remaining treated with diet only vs. needing insulin therapy. The study design is a randomised controlled parallel group open-label effectiveness trial including 214 women with GDM.

Saskatoon Berry on Metabolism and Gut Microbiota in Healthy Subjects

Diabetes becomes epidemic in worldwide countries. Nine out of ten diabetic patients are type 2 diabetes (T2D). T2D is characterized by insulin resistance and obesity. Uncontrolled diabetes leads to serious consequences including heart attack, stroke, chronic renal failure, liver failure, blindness and low limb amputation. Most of hypoglycemic medications have side effects. Natural foods or nutraceuticals with hypoglycemic potential are expected to provide a safer management for diabetic patients. Saskatoon berry is a popular fruit in Canadian Prairie and Northern states in USA. Our recent studies demonstrated Saskatoon berry (SB) powder attenuated hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance, inflammation, liver steatosis and gut dysbiosis in diet-induced insulin resistant mice, a model for T2D. The results in anti-diabetic activities of SB powder have been supported by other groups in high fat fed rats. Our preliminary studies in 20 healthy subjects demonstrated that dried whole SB (40 g/day for 10 weeks) significantly reduced fasting plasma glucose, total and LDL-cholesterol, systolic blood pressure, and increased plasma glucagon-like peptide compared to baseline, which was associated with increased intake of total fiber and decreased intake of saturated fat. The changes in metabolic and vascular variables significantly correlated with the alterations in gut microbiota. The combination of findings suggest that Saskatoon berry is good candidate of prebiotic functional food as a supplemental remedy for reducing the risk for metabolic syndrome and preventing or managing T2D. The effect of Saskatoon berry and its products on metabolic disorders have not been studied in healthy human subjects. We propose to examine the effects of oral administration of freeze-dried whole SB on glucose metabolism, insulin resistance and gut microbiota in healthy subjects in a single arm, open labeled phase I clinical trial.

The FaibaGo Study - Long-Term Weight Reduction Via Low-Threshold Intervention

The main aim of this study is to assess the effect of a chewing gum containing galactooligosaccharides (GOS) on the body mass index (BMI), the metabolism and the oral and intestinal microbiomes in a population of overweight adults.

FaibaLite - Reduce Weight, One Bite at a Time

This study aims to evaluate the suitability of a fiber-enriched chewing gum as a practical and accessible approach to support healthy body weight management.

Influence of Glucose on Metabolism and Clinical Symptoms of Patients With Parkinson's Disease

Many patients with Parkinson's Disease (PD) report an increased consumption of fast-acting sugars. This tendency to consume sweet, high-sugar foods occurs in some patients even before the onset of cardinal motor symptoms. Some recent studies have demonstrated that PD patients have an increased consumption of fast-acting carbohydrates compared to healthy controls. However, the reason for this change in eating behavior has not yet been adequately explained. It is discussed that the increased sugar intake leads to an increased dopamine release in the brain via an increase in insulin and thus to an improvement in clinical symptoms. This study investigates the influence of fast-acting carbohydrates on insulin and glucose blood levels as well as motor and non-motor symptoms in patients with PD using an oral glucose tolerance test and a placebo oral glucose tolerance test in a crossover design.

Postprandial Glucose Levels, Gut Microbiota and Supplementation With Functional Foods in Adults

This is a clinical study with participants over 18 years of age that meet the selection criteria. This will be 42-day study divided into three phases of 14 days each: 14 days without intervention, 14 days with intervention with functional foods and 14 days without intervention again. With the objective of assess the changes in the postprandial glycemic responses through the gut microbiota and urine metabolites.

Southampton Women's Survey

The Southampton Women's Survey was established to assess the influence of factors operating before conception and during pregnancy on the health and development of the offspring. 12,583 non-pregnant young women were recruited, and 3,158 were followed through pregnancy, with their offspring followed-up at 6 months and 1, 2, 3, 4, 6-7, 8-9 and 12-13 years. The 17-19 year follow-up has been piloted and is about to start.

The Maternal Well-Being Study

This project aims to understand the local feasibility and acceptability of MamaMeals (a home-delivered nutritious, postpartum meal delivery program) and MamaMatters (a moderated social media-based peer support group) among peripartum women who are eligible for federal supplemental nutrition assistance programs such as The Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) or Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). The investigators will conduct a prospective randomized controlled trial (RCT) of these two interventions among postpartum individuals. Analyses will be performed to determine the relative risk of postpartum depressive or anxiety symptoms (primary outcome) and overall well-being and maternal/infant health (secondary/exploratory outcomes) between groups. Findings from this pilot intervention study will inform a future, large RCT exploring the effectiveness of MamaMeals and/or MamaMatters on reducing postpartum mental health symptoms and cardiovascular morbidity among individuals with food insecurity during and after pregnancy.

Personalized GI Motility Responses to Diet

The goal of this randomized, crossover, clinical trial is to link: 1) gastrointestinal motility patterns induced by acute consumption of whole and refined grains, 2) enteric microbial production of bioactive metabolites, and 3) circulating postprandial appearance of metabolites important to cardiometabolic health including glucose, triglycerides, and cholesterol. Participants will be asked to consume a Smartpill monitoring device that records metrics of gastrointestinal motility in response to whole or refined grains, monitor cardiometabolic metabolties over an 8 hour postprandial window, and provide a fecal sample for microbiome-related analyses.

Blood Lipid Responses to Diet

The macronutrient composition of our diet (proportions of carbohydrates, fats and proteins) strongly influences the way our body stores and utilises substrates (e.g., fats and sugars), which in turn influences our risk of developing cardiometabolic diseases (e.g., coronary artery disease or insulin resistance). The optimal dietary composition to lower the risk of cardiometabolic disease is unknown. In a randomized, parallel design, this study will investigate how the overconsumption of carbohydrates and fats affects blood lipid responses and liver metabolism in adults free from metabolic disease. By genotyping participants, we will also examine the interaction between macronutrient content and an individual's genes on blood lipid responses and liver metabolism.

Comparison of Atherogenic Risk Factors and Efficacy of Nutritional Treatment Among Adult Phenylketonuria Patients

Phenylketonuria is a rare metabolic disease that results from the absence or near-absence activity of the enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase, which metabolizes the amino acid phenylalanine to tyrosine in the body. Accumulation of phenylalanine in the brain causes brain damage that leads to mental retardation, neurological complications, and movement disorders. The study is inherited autosomal recessively. The basis of treatment is a low-protein diet with dietary supplements of aminoxlin without phenylalanine and with appropriate substitutes for micro and macronutrients needed for different ages. A low-protein diet regulates the level of phenylalanine in the blood. This is especially important in childhood. In the study, which will basically consist of theoretical, experimental and numerical work, the investigators will limit to a specific population, i.e. to adult patients with phenylketonuria. The research is intended to prove the hypothesis that with proper nutritional treatment of phenylketonuria in adulthood, we can have a positive effect on the patient's well-being, better blood results and improved lifestyle. The investigators intend to test this hypothesis by implementing a complex, multidisciplinary project that will include a comprehensive treatment of adult PKU patients. This will be based on a multidisciplinary approach with the inclusion of medical and nutritional treatment. As part of the project, the investigators, among other things, create questionnaires and analyze food diaries related to the mentioned areas. Using various statistical techniques, the investigators analyze the impact of individual factors on the success of achieving the objectives of the proposed study. The original contribution to science will be the nutritional treatment of adult patients with phenylketonuria in Slovenia and the consequent reduction of health complications in adulthood of patients with phenylketonuria.