Biobehavioral Reward Responses Associated With Consumption of Nutritionally Diverse Ultra-Processed Foods

Part of paid clinical trials in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Sponsor
Oregon Research Institute
Study ID
NCT05437809
Status
Recruiting
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Conditions

Eligibility Criteria

Sex
ALL
Age
18 Years - 65 Years
Healthy Volunteers
Not accepted

Interventions

  • Intake of nutritionally diverse ultra-processed foods — OTHER
    All participants will attend four food consumption assessment visits where, at each visit, they will be asked to consume a standardized snack portion of: 1) ultra-processed foods (UPFs) high in both fat and refined carbohydrates (UPF+FRC), 2) UPF high in fat (UPF+F), 3) UPF high in refined carbohydrates (white flour, sugar) (UPF+RC), or 4) minimally processed foods. The order of the four food consumption assessment visits will be randomized and counterbalanced across participants, who will each consume all the test snacks across the four appointments.

Study Details

The changing food environment, with increasingly abundant ultra-processed food (UPF) options, may directly contribute to rising rates of obesity, though it is unknown which ingredients in UPF elevate their reinforcing nature in a way that may lead to overconsumption. The proposed study is the first to systematically examine differences in the rewarding characteristics of and physiological and metabolic responses to UPFs that are high in fat, refined carbohydrates (like sugar), or both. Understanding the biobehavioral underpinnings that enhance the reinforcing potential of ingredients in UPF (e.g., fat vs. refined carbohydrates) can inform novel intervention targets for the treatment of overeating and obesity.

Key Dates

Start date
Feb 20, 2023
Status verified
Feb 2026
Primary completion
Dec 31, 2026
Completion
Mar 31, 2027

Study Design

Enrollment
50 participants (estimated)
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
OTHER

Arms

  • Other: UPF high in fat and refined carbohydrates
    This test snack condition consists of ultra-processed foods high in both fat and refined carbohydrates.
  • Other: UPF high in fat
    This test snack condition consists of ultra-processed foods high in fat.
  • Other: UPF high in refined carbohydrates
    This test snack condition consists of ultra-processed foods high in refined carbohydrates.
  • Other: MPF high in fat or carbohydrates
    This test snack condition consists of minimally processed foods naturally high in either fat or carbohydrates.

Primary Outcome Measure

Subjective reward responses to food intake (in lab) [ Time Frame: 10 minutes before intake of test snack, during, and 30-, 60-, 90-, and 120 minutes after intake of the test snack. ]

Central Contacts

Locations (1)

FacilityCityStateZIPSite coordinators
Drexel UniversityPhiladelphiaPennsylvania19104
Erica M LaFata, PhD
[email protected]
9136535022

Find similar trials in Philadelphia, PA

By condition
Obesity / overweight
By specialty
EndocrinologyMetabolic healthWeight loss
By research site
Drexel University· Philadelphia, PA

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