None listed
Conditions
Brief summary
The prevalence of obesity has steeply grown in the last decades due to changes in food production, marketing and availability. Food intake largely rests on our ability as an individual to manage to control eating and drinking behaviours within the context of an obesogenic environment. Importantly, it has been found that overweight adults with higher levels of visceral fat have a poorer performance on measurers of risk taking and impulsive behaviours than healthy weight adults with low visceral fat. Those with higher levels of visceral fat are more likely to engage in greater risk taking behaviours and have more unhealthy food choices to those who have less visceral fat stores. It has been shown that visceral fat is more strongly related to cognition than body mass index (BMI). We aim to investigate: (a) the association between visceral fat and cognition, specifically performance as measured by behavioural tests of impulsivity, compulsivity and decision-making; (b) whether reductions in visceral fat are associated with improvement in cognitive control.
Interventions
The intervention of this study is a 12-week weight management program that aims to reduce weight (and therefore, visceral adipose tissue) in 40 overweight or obese participants. The weight management program consists of a modified intermittent fasting regimen supported by a dietitian and the promotion of physical activity.
Participants self-selected to the intervention group will undergo an initial nutritional assessment face-to-face with a dietitian at the university’s dietetics clinic. Parti
The intervention of this study is a 12-week weight management program that aims to reduce weight (and therefore, visceral adipose tissue) in 40 overweight or obese participants. The weight management program consists of a modified intermittent fasting regimen supported by a dietitian and the promotion of physical activity. Participants self-selected to the intervention group will undergo an initial nutritional assessment face-to-face with a dietitian at the university’s dietetics clinic. Participants will receive individualised nutrition care in the form of intensive nutrition assessment and nutrition intervention via face-to-face interviews. The dietary program has been designed to be evidence based and is optimised for loss of body fat and to preserve lean mass. These interviews will be scheduled at 6 different time points (Week 0, Week 1, Week 2, Week 4-6, Week 8-10, Week 12-14). The detailed initial dietetic interview will be approximately 45 to 60 minutes in duration and follow-up dietetic interviews will approximately 15 to 30 minutes in duration. A detailed diet history will be carried out at Week 0 with all subsequent review follow-ups to monitor intervention adherence via 2 x 24 hour-recalls. Food diaries may be utilised if desired by the participant. The dietitian interviewer will attempt to ascertain information in the areas of; i) weight and waist circumference, ii) oral intake/food intake, iii) clinical issues, iv) physical activity and v) any other relevant dietary information. Participants will be encouraged to partake in light and regular physical activity. Participants will be encouraged to schedule at least three 30 minute sessions of light physical activity each week. They will be strongly advised by the dietitian to seek professional medical advice by the dietitian if they intend to pursue more intense physical activity. Pedometers will be provided to each participant to track their daily physical activity levels
Sponsors
School of Psychological Sciences - Monash University
Study design
Allocation
Non-randomised trial
Primary purpose
Treatment
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
All
Age
18 Years to 60 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Healthy weight adults: Age between 18 and 60; Body Mass Index (BMI) between 18 kg/m2 – 24.9kg/m2 Excess weight adults: Age between 18 and 60; Body Mass Index (BMI) between 25 kg/m2 – 40kg/m2
Exclusion criteria
Overweight participants who are taking part in the weight management program: (1) current or previous pregnancy (within past 6 months) or lactating; (2) history of substance use (drug or alcohol); (3) history of head trauma or neurological illness impacting Central Nervous System or undergone radiation treatment; (4) current diagnosis of depression; (5) unable to read and converse in English; (6) clinically diagnosed or screen positive for disordered eating. Normal-weight and overweight participants no taking part in the weight management program: (1) current or previous pregnancy (within past 6 months) or lactating; (2) current or recent history of health condition (including cancer; thyroid disease; surgery; hepatic disease; stage 3-5 CKD; eating disorders; those who have previously undergone radiation treatment); (3) current comorbid medical conditions associated with excess weight (e.g., type II diabetes, hypertension); (4) has undergone weight loss surgery; (5) taking weight loss drugs; (6) history of substance use (drug or alcohol); (7) history of head trauma or neurological illness impacting Central Nervous System; (8) current diagnosis of depression; (9) has lactose intolerance; (10) unable to read and converse and English; (11) clinically diagnosed or screen positive for disordered eating using. Eligible overweight and obese participants are healthy volunteers. Participants will be asked to provide a finger prick blood sample in order to measure fasting plasma glucose. If a blood glucose reading greater than or equal to 7.0mmol/l is recorded which is indicative of diabetes, the participant will be referred to their GP and not able to proceed further with the study. Furthermore, blood pressure will be measured with an automated sphygmomanometer. If a blood pressure reading greater than or equal to 140/90 mm Hg is recorded which is indicative of hypertension, the participant will not be able to proceed further with the study.
Outcome results
None listed