Brain Mechanisms of Overeating in Children
| Status: | Enrolling by invitation |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Obesity Weight Loss |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Endocrinology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 7 - 8 |
| Updated: | 3/22/2019 |
| Start Date: | January 31, 2018 |
| End Date: | December 31, 2023 |
The proposed research will follow healthy weight children who vary by family risk for obesity
to identify the neurobiological and appetitive traits that are implicated in overeating and
weight gain during the critical pre-adolescent period. The investigator's central hypothesis
is that increased intake from large portions of energy dense foods is due in part to reduced
activity in brain regions implicated in inhibitory control and decision making, combined with
increased activity in reward processing pathways. To test this hypothesis, the investigators
will recruit 120 healthy weight children, aged 7-8 years, at two levels of obesity risk
(i.e., 60 high-risk and 60 low-risk) based on parent weight status. This will result in 240
participants: 120 children and their parents.
to identify the neurobiological and appetitive traits that are implicated in overeating and
weight gain during the critical pre-adolescent period. The investigator's central hypothesis
is that increased intake from large portions of energy dense foods is due in part to reduced
activity in brain regions implicated in inhibitory control and decision making, combined with
increased activity in reward processing pathways. To test this hypothesis, the investigators
will recruit 120 healthy weight children, aged 7-8 years, at two levels of obesity risk
(i.e., 60 high-risk and 60 low-risk) based on parent weight status. This will result in 240
participants: 120 children and their parents.
In aim one, the investigators will use functional magnetic resonance imaging to characterize
the brain regions which are activated in response to food portion size and compare these
regions between high- and low-risk children.
Second, the investigators will determine the relationship between brain response to visual
portion size cues and measured food intake when portions are increased in the laboratory.
Third, the investigators will determine the relationship between brain response to large
portions and other validated measures of overeating, including satiety responsiveness and the
amount of calories children consumed from high calorie snacks when they are not hungry (i.e.,
eating in the absence of hunger).
Fourth, the investigators will conduct follow-up visits one year after baseline to determine
the extent to which baseline brain and behavioral responses to portion size predict gains in
adiposity assessed by anthropometrics (body weight, height, and dual-energy x-ray
absorptiometry).
Secondary study endpoints include the relationship between child behavioral and brain
response to food portion size and physical activity assessed by accelerometry and
questionnaires, inhibitory control assessed by a go/no go test, loss of control eating, child
sleep, child working memory, parent rated eating behaviors, and parental feeding practices.
the brain regions which are activated in response to food portion size and compare these
regions between high- and low-risk children.
Second, the investigators will determine the relationship between brain response to visual
portion size cues and measured food intake when portions are increased in the laboratory.
Third, the investigators will determine the relationship between brain response to large
portions and other validated measures of overeating, including satiety responsiveness and the
amount of calories children consumed from high calorie snacks when they are not hungry (i.e.,
eating in the absence of hunger).
Fourth, the investigators will conduct follow-up visits one year after baseline to determine
the extent to which baseline brain and behavioral responses to portion size predict gains in
adiposity assessed by anthropometrics (body weight, height, and dual-energy x-ray
absorptiometry).
Secondary study endpoints include the relationship between child behavioral and brain
response to food portion size and physical activity assessed by accelerometry and
questionnaires, inhibitory control assessed by a go/no go test, loss of control eating, child
sleep, child working memory, parent rated eating behaviors, and parental feeding practices.
Inclusion Criteria:
- Child is in good health based on parental self-report
- Child has no learning disabilities (e.g., ADHD)
- Child has no diagnosed psychological or medical conditions/devices, or metal in/on the
body that may impact comfort or safety in the fMRI (e.g., anxiety, insulin pump)
- Child is not on any medications known to influence body weight, taste, food intake,
behavior, or blood flow
- Child is not claustrophobic
- Child is between the ages of 7-8 years-old at enrollment
- Child's immediate family members have not been diagnosed with a psychological
disorder, including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, etc.
- Child's biological mother and biological father have a body mass index either between
18.5 - 25 kg/m2 (low-risk group) or biological mother has a body mass index greater
than or equal to 30 kg/m2 and biological father has a body mass index greater than or
equal to 25 kg/m2 (high-risk group)
- Child's parent participating in study must be available to attend visits with child
Exclusion Criteria:
- Child is not in good health based on parent self-report
- Child has any learning disabilities (e.g., ADHD)
- Child has any psychological or medical conditions/devices that may impact comfort in
the fMRI (e.g., anxiety, insulin pump)
- Child is taking any medications known to influence body weight, taste, food intake,
behavior, or blood flow
- Child is claustrophobic
- Child is less than 7 or greater than 8 years-old at enrollment
- Child has any immediate family members diagnosed with a psychological disorder,
including depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, etc.
- Child's biological mother or biological father's body mass index do not fit into the
parameters for either group (both biological parents < 18.5 for low-risk group or
biological mother is < 30 and biological father is < 25 for high-risk group)
- Child's parent participating in study is not available to attend visits with child
- Child is blue/green colorblind
- Child is not fluent in the English language
We found this trial at
1
site
University Park, Pennsylvania 16801
Principal Investigator: Kathleen L Keller, Ph.D.
Phone: 814-863-9841
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