The Intersection Between Loss of Control Eating and Obesity: The Role of Restriction and Food Reinforcement

University at Buffalo (UB)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Nutrition Disorders; Binge Eating; Body Weight; Pediatric Obesity

Treatments: Behavioral: Restricted access task

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT05177705

STUDY00002806

K01DK120778 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study aims to determine the relationships among loss of control eating, restriction, relative reinforcing value of high energy-dense food, and obesity risk. In order to achieve this aim, the investigators will follow children over the course of a year, obtaining behavioral and observational measurements, in addition to a two-week restricted access and two week non-restricted access period.

Full description

The study will be mostly observational but will also include a randomized, cross-over design (the restricted access paradigm). The investigators will recruit children at risk for obesity in Erie County, New York (N=100, 50 boys, 50 girls). The study will include 4 visits at baseline and follow-up visits at 6 and 12 months. At the first visit, the participants will complete consent, height/weight/body fat, questionnaires, and complete a delayed discount task and the relative reinforcing value task. The participants will be randomized to have two weeks of restricted access first or two weeks of non-restricted access first, and then will come into the laboratory to do the loss of control test meal. Then they will have a one-week washout period, and will then complete the other two weeks of restricted/not restricted access. Following this, they will complete the loss of control test meal again. At the follow-up visits, participants will come into the laboratory to have their height/weight/body fat measured, complete questionnaires, and complete the delayed discounting task, food reinforcement and loss of control test meals. Participants will be compensated for their time after each visit. The details of the measures and procedures are outlined below.

Enrollment: 126 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 8 to 11 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Children (male and female) ages 8-11
• At risk for obesity or with obesity (defined as either having a BMI percentile that classifies the child as having overweight-BMI >85th percentile but <99th OR one + biological parent with overweight/obesity-BMI >25)
• Rating of neutral or higher for 50% of the study foods
• Consumption of one of the study foods at least twice/week

Exclusion criteria

• Children below age 8 or above age 11
• Not at risk for obesity (defined as having a BMI percentile that classifies the child as having normal weight-BMI <85th percentile without having a parent with overweight or obesity)
• Allergic to study foods
• Dislike of study foods (Less than 50% of the study foods rated neutral or higher)
• Does not consume at least one study food at least twice/week
• Current diagnosis of a clinical eating disorder (ED)
• Use of medications known to affect appetite (Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, Wellbutrin, Prednisone, etc)
• Unwillingness to complete study visits

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

126 participants in 1 patient group

Behavioral restriction

Experimental group

Description:

In the restriction period participants will have their preferred (chosen after doing a preference task, including liking) food and similar alternatives restricted by their parent for 2 weeks. In the structured intake period period, participants and their parents will be given several portions of the preferred food (chosen after doing a preference task, including liking) and will consume it throughout the two-week period.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Restricted access task