An 18-month Trial of a Low Glycemic Load Diet

Boston Children's Hospital

Status

Completed

Conditions

Obesity

Treatments

Behavioral: low fat diet

Behavioral: low glycemic load diet

Study type

Interventional

Funder types

Other

NIH

Identifiers

NCT00130299

R01DK059240 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

59240-#1

Details and patient eligibility

About

The primary aim of this study is to compare the effects of an experimental low-glycemic load diet with those of a conventional low-fat diet among obese young adults in an 18-month randomized-controlled trial.

Full description

The prevalence of obesity has risen dramatically among children in the U.S. since the 1960s. Effective treatment of childhood obesity is widely recognized as instrumental to public health efforts to combat type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Evidence from animal studies, short-term human studies and epidemiology suggests that diets designed to minimize the rise in postprandial blood glucose, that is low glycemic index, may be useful in the treatment of obesity and related complications. This project proposes an month RCT comparing a low glycemic load diet to a conventional low fat diet. Both diet groups will receive identical treatment intensity, behavioral modification and physical activity recommendations. The primary endpoint will be change in percent body fat by dexa-scan at 18 months; other outcomes include insulin resistance and CVD risk factors. Compliance will be assessed by interviewer-administered, 24-hour dietary recalls.

Sex

All

Ages

18 to 35 years old

Volunteers

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

Age 18 to 35 years
Body mass index (BMI) ≥ 30 kg/m2
Access to a working telephone
Conversant in English
Written medical clearance from a primary care physician or nurse practitioner, ruling out any pre-existing or complicating medical condition

Exclusion criteria

Body weight >300 lbs
Major medical illness (heart, kidney or liver disease; diabetes; cancer; endocrinopathy; psychiatric illness) or other active medical problem
An obesity-associated genetic syndrome (e.g., Prader-Willi)
An abnormal screening laboratory test (ALT, creatinine, BUN, hematocrit)
Fasting blood glucose ≥ 126 mg/dl)
Taking any prescription medication that affects body weight (glucocorticoids, neuropsychiatric agents), blood pressure, or serum cholesterol concentrations
Currently smoking (1 cigarette during any of the last 7 days)
Previous diagnosis of an eating disorder (anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge-eating disorder)
If female, not pregnant or planning to become pregnant in the next 18 months and not lactating
Failure to complete the pre-enrollment visits