Childhood Obesity
Conditions
Keywords
Obesity, Cue Reactivity, Genetics, Self Regulation, fMRI, Children, Eating in the Absence of Hunger
Brief summary
This study assesses the associations between genetic factors, food-cue-related neural reactivity, self-regulatory capacity, eating in the absence of hunger (EAH), and adiposity gain in children.
Detailed description
The investigators will assess the associations between genetic factors, food-cue-related neural reactivity, eating in the absence of hunger (EAH) in response to food cues, and adiposity gain in children. They will also determine whether self-regulatory capacity modifies these associations. The genetic factors explored specifically include FTO, MC4R, polymorphisms in genes involved in dopaminergic pathways, and a composite genetic risk score built from genome-wide obesity-related loci. \[3/14/2020\]: Study recruitment temporarily halted due to the COVID-19 pandemic
Interventions
BEHAVIORALFood Ads
Exposure to foods ads embedded in an age-appropriate TV program
OTHERNon-food Ads
Exposure to non-food ads embedded in an age-appropriate TV program
Sponsors
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
Dartmouth College
Trustees of Dartmouth College
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
CROSSOVER
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Subject)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
8 Years to 12 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* English fluency * Willingness to participate in all study visits
Exclusion criteria
* Relevant food allergies or dietary restrictions * Metal in or on the body * Claustrophobia * Psychiatric and neurological disorders * Relative in the study * Appetite- or attention-altering medications or disorders
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Food-cue-related neural activity | Baseline | Activation in brain reward regions in response to food vs. non-food cues, as measured by differences in the blood-oxygen-level dependent response during fMRI scans. Investigators will examine associations between polymorphisms in FTO, MC4R, as well as a genetic risk score with the differential neural activity. |
| Food-cue-related Eating in the Absence of Hunger (EAH) | Baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks | Difference in kcals consumed in response to food vs. non-food cue exposure in the behavioral sessions. Investigators will examine how differential neural activity in response to food vs. non-food cues will relate to EAH. Investigators will also assess whether self-regulatory capacity diminishes this association between differential neural activity and EAH. |
| Change in BMI | Baseline, 1-year followup | Difference between BMI z-score according to the Center for DiseaSe Control 2000 Growth Reference Curves assessed at baseline and follow-up. Investigators will assess the associations between genetic factors (polymorphisms in FTO, MC4R; and a genetic obesity risk score), food-cue-related neural activity and EAH with change in BMI. |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed