Stress Reactivity Study in Adolescents (SRAS)

June 24, 2019 updated by: Rebecca Hasson, University of Michigan

Stress-induced Eating Behavior: Implications for Pediatric Obesity Disparities

The goal of this study was to examine the glucocorticoid and behavioral responses to a psychological stressor in obese African-American and non-Latino white adolescents. Participants were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and a control condition on separate days. Immediately following each condition, participants were provided with snacks to eat at their leisure. Reactivity was assessed via salivary cortisol and alpha-amylase area under the curve (AUC), and adolescents were categorized as high or low reactors.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

In the United States, pediatric obesity has more than tripled in the last 30 years, particularly among certain racial/ethnic groups including African-Americans. This disparity is partially attributable to greater exposure to psychological stress reported in this group (relative to non-Latino whites). Chronic psychological stress leads to weight gain directly through prolonged exposure to biological stress mediators such as cortisol and indirectly through behavioral pathways involving cortisol-induced increases in food consumption. An exciting arena of scientific advancements is focusing on identifying the specific pathways through which chronic stress influences eating behavior with emerging evidence to suggest that food intake, which is commonly increased during periods of stress, may serve as one key mechanism linking stress and obesity, particularly in African-American youth who are disproportionately exposed to chronic stress and have greater access to, and consumption of, energy-dense palatable foods. It is critical to advance understanding of the interplay between stress and food intake in understanding racial/ethnic disparities in pediatric obesity because stress eating represents a modifiable health behavior. That is, increased food intake during periods of elevated stress can be targeted for intervention in ways that may ameliorate the deleterious effects of stress on obesity risk. This project investigated the role of stress eating as a pathway linking chronic stress and obesity in African-American and non-Latino white adolescents.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Michigan
      • Ann Arbor, Michigan, United States, 48109
        • Childhood Disparities Research Laboratory

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 19 years (Child, Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Overweight and obese adolescents ages 14- 19 years

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Currently pregnant
  • Had been enrolled in a weight loss program in the last 6 months
  • Were current smokers (e.g., tobacco, marijuana, vaping)
  • Were diagnosed with a mental health condition (e.g, depression)
  • Were diagnosed with a chronic condition known to affect weight, appetite, blood glucose or insulin levels (e.g., diabetes)
  • Were taking medications known to affect metabolic processes (e.g., growth hormone, ritalin, metformin, etc)
  • Had food allergies, intolerances, or other dietary restrictions

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Diagnostic
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Single Group Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Stress Condition
The stress condition involved the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a standardized laboratory stressor designed to elicit psychological stress and cortisol responses. Following the TSST, participants were brought to a separate room, instructed to rest and given the option to eat at their leisure. Books and magazines were included in the room for the participant to utilize.
Behavioral: Acute Laboratory Stressor
The TSST was 20 minutes long and consisted of a five-minute instructional period where participants listened to a pre-recorded tape; a five-minute speech preparation period; a five-minute challenging serial subtraction task; and a five-minute videotaped public speaking task in front of a panel of three evaluative, non-affirming judges dressed in white coats.
Other Names:
  • Trier Social Stress Test
Placebo Comparator: Rest Condition
Participants completed a control condition on a separate day. This condition followed the same sequence of events as the stress condition with the exception that the 20-minute TSST was replaced with a 20-minute low-affect educational film screening.
Behavioral: Low affect video
The 20-minute TSST was replaced with a 20-minute low-affect educational film screening.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Food consumption
Time Frame: 2 hours
Change in grams of each food consumed during the control and stress conditions were recorded and calories were calculated using the corresponding nutritional labels.
2 hours

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Salivary cortisol area under the curve
Time Frame: 2 hours
During the control and stress conditions, saliva samples were taken at times 10, 25, 58, 88 and 118 minutes after arrival to analyze cortisol responses to the TSST. Area under the curve was calculated from the initial cortisol sample collected to the final cortisol sample collected: [AUC=(x2+x1)/(t2-t1) + (x3+x2)/(t3-t2) + (xk+xj)/(tk-tj)].
2 hours
Salivary alpha amylase area under the curve
Time Frame: 2 hours
During the control and stress conditions, saliva samples were taken at times 10, 25, 58, 88 and 118 minutes after arrival to analyze alpha amylase responses to the TSST. Area under the curve was calculated from the initial alpha-amylase sample collected to the final alpha amylase sample collected [AUC=(x2+x1)/(t2-t1) + (x3+x2)/(t3-t2) + (xk+xj)/(tk-tj)].
2 hours

Other Outcome Measures

Other Outcome Measures

For clinical trials, a planned measurement described in the protocol that is used to determine the effect of an intervention/treatment on participants. For observational studies, a measurement or observation that is used to describe patterns of diseases or traits, or associations with exposures, risk factors, or treatment. Types of outcome measures include primary outcome measure and secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Heart rate area under the curve
Time Frame: 2 hours
Heart rate was taken throughout the control and stress conditions. Area under the curve was calculated from the initial heart rate collected to the final heart rate sample collected [AUC=(x2+x1)/(t2-t1) + (x3+x2)/(t3-t2) + (xk+xj)/(tk-tj)].
2 hours
Blood pressure area under the curve
Time Frame: 2 hours
Blood pressure was taken throughout the control and stress conditions. Area under the curve was calculated from the initial blood pressure reading collected to the final blood pressure reading collected [AUC=(x2+x1)/(t2-t1) + (x3+x2)/(t3-t2) + (xk+xj)/(tk-tj)].
2 hours

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
University of Michigan

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Rebecca Hasson, PhD, University of Michigan

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
December 12, 2013

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
March 13, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 30, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
June 24, 2019

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 24, 2019

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
June 25, 2019

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
June 25, 2019

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
June 24, 2019

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
June 1, 2019

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • HUM00078153

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

IPD Plan Description

Only de-identified participant data will be shared with other researchers during data analysis and manuscript preparation.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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