Cardiometabolic Effects of Pecans as a Snack

February 4, 2025 updated by: Kristina Petersen PhD, APD, FAHA, Penn State University

Cardiometabolic Effects of Including Pecans as a Snack to Improve Diet Quality: a Randomized Controlled Study

A randomized, 2-arm, parallel trial will be conducted to examine the effect of pecans on markers of peripheral vascular health, lipids and lipoproteins, blood pressure, and glycemic control.

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

A randomized, 2-arm, parallel trial will be conducted to examine the effect of including 2 oz./day of pecans, as a snack, compared to a diet typically consumed by participants intake (devoid of nuts) on markers of peripheral vascular health, lipids and lipoproteins, blood pressure, and glycemic control. Participants will be randomized to pecans or control for 12-weeks. Outcome assessments will be measured at baseline and 12-weeks.

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.
138

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.
  • Phase 2

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.
  • Name: Kristina Petersen, PhD
  • Phone Number: 814-865-7206
  • Email: kup63@psu.edu

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Pennsylvania
      • University Park, Pennsylvania, United States, 16802
        • Penn State University

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

25 years to 70 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • BMI 25-40 kg/m2
  • ≥ 1 criterion for metabolic syndrome (i.e., waist circumference ≥ 94 cm men or ≥ 80 cm women; triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL; HDL-cholesterol ≤ 40 mg/dL men or ≤ 50 mg/dL women; systolic blood pressure ≥130 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥85 mmHg; fasting plasma glucose ≥100 mg/dL) at screening

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current use of tobacco-containing products or (≤6 months) cessation
  • Allergy/sensitivity/intolerance/dislike of study foods
  • Women who are pregnant, lactating, planning to become pregnant or have given birth in the past year
  • Individuals who have had a cardiovascular event (heart attack, revascularization, stroke), or have a history of heart failure, liver, kidney, autoimmune diseases or inflammatory conditions such as gastrointestinal disorders or rheumatoid arthritis.
  • Type 1 or type 2 diabetes
  • Unstable weight ≥10% body weight for 6 months prior to enrollment
  • Systolic Blood pressure >160 mmHg for systolic pressure and/or diastolic blood pressure >/100 mmHg for diastolic pressure at screening
  • Fasting blood glucose ≥126 mg/dL at screening
  • Triglycerides ≥350 mg/dL at screening
  • Taking any medications known to affect lipids, blood pressure, or blood glucose levels
  • Diagnosed inflammatory conditions or taking prescribed , taking any chronic anti-inflammatory medications (>1 time per week over the past 3 months)
  • Use of antibiotics within the prior 8 weeks
  • Taking supplements (e.g., psyllium, fish oil, soy lecithin, and phytoestrogens) and botanicals known to affect study outcomes and not willing to cease for the duration of the study
  • Individuals consuming >14 alcoholic drinks/week, and not willing to avoid alcohol consumption for 48 hours prior to test visit
  • Pre-menopausal women who do not have a regular menstrual cycle of 25-35 days
  • PI discretion

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: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

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.
Active Comparator: Pecan Group
Participants will consume their usual diet, but replace one snack with unsalted raw pecans incorporated as a snack
Drug: Pecans
Participants will receive 2 oz of pecans daily to replace a typical snack and continue consuming their usual diet for 12 weeks.
Active Comparator: Usual Care Group
Participants will consume their usual diet devoid of nuts
Other: Usual Care
Participants will receive grocery vouchers and continue consuming their usual diet for 12 weeks.

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
Flow Mediated Dilation
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measured by brachial ultrasound and expressed as percentage points of change in arterial diameter
12 weeks

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
Triglycerides
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Assessed from fasting blood draw expressed in mg/dL
12 weeks
LDL-cholesterol Concentration
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Assessed from fasting blood draw expressed in mg/dL
12 weeks
HDL-cholesterol Concentration
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Assessed from fasting blood draw expressed in mg/dL
12 weeks
LDL Lipoprotein Subclasses
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Assessed from fasting blood draw expressed in nmol/L. Data were log transformed and back transformed to improve residual distribution; Measure Description: LDL particle size classifications are as follows: 22-25.5 nm is small, 25.6-26.5 nm medium, and 26.6-28.5 nm large. Typically, smaller LDL is associated with increased cardiovascular risk compared to larger.
12 weeks
HDL Lipoprotein Subclasses
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Assessed from fasting blood draw expressed in µmol/L; Measure Description: Size classifications of HDL subclasses are as follows: large (size 9.4-14.0 nm), medium (8.3-9.3 nm), and small (7.3-8.2 nm). Higher levels of large HDL may be inversely related to cardiovascular risk.
12 weeks
Brachial Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Blood pressure measured assessed using a SphygmoCor Xcel (Atcor Medical)
12 weeks
Central Systolic and Diastolic Blood Pressure
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Blood pressure measured assessed using a SphygmoCor Xcel (Atcor Medical)
12 weeks
Carotid-femoral Pulse Wave Velocity
Time Frame: 12 weeks
A measure of arterial stiffness assessed using a SphygmoCor Xcel (Atcor Medical). Expressed in meters/second. Higher values indicate greater arterial stiffness
12 weeks
Augmentation Index@75bpm
Time Frame: 12 weeks
A measure of arterial stiffness assessed using a SphygmoCor Xcel (Atcor Medical). Expressed as a percentage. A higher percentage value is indicative of greater arterial stiffness. Measure Description: Augmentation index is a measure of arterial stiffening that correlates with CVD risk. Higher augmentation index, used as a surrogate for wave reflection, is indicative of additional load on the left ventricle. Augmentation index is calculated as augmentation pressure/pulse pressure*100 to provide a percent. We utilized the Sphymocor Xcel for this measure. We used standardized augmentation index at 75 bpm for heart rate.
12 weeks
Fasting Plasma Glucose Concentration
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Fasting blood glucose assessed by blood draw and expressed in mg/dL
12 weeks
Serum Insulin Concentration
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Fasting serum insulin levels assessed by blood draw and expressed in micro IU/m
12 weeks
HbA1c
Time Frame: 12-weeks
HbA1c assessed in whole blood collected during fasting
12-weeks
Diet Quality: Healthy Eating Index 2020
Time Frame: 12-weeks
Diet quality measured by 24-hour recalls will be assessed using Health Eating Index 2020 (HEI-2020) scores range from 0-100 with 100 indicating perfect adherence to dietary guidelines and 0 indicating no adherence. The HEI-2020 includes 13 components; 9 components are adequacy (i.e., consuming more results in a higher score), and 4 are moderation (i.e., consuming less results in a higher score). The HEI-2020 was calculated with the Statistical Analysis System (SAS) code from the National Cancer Institute.
12-weeks
Total Cholesterol Concentration
Time Frame: 12-weeks
Assessed from fasting blood draw expressed in mg/dL
12-weeks
LDL Subclasses
Time Frame: 12 weeks
LDL subclasses with normal distribution; Measure Description: LDL particle size classifications are as follows: 22-25.5 nm is small, 25.6-26.5 nm medium, and 26.6-28.5 nm large. Typically, smaller LDL is associated with increased cardiovascular risk compared to larger.
12 weeks
HDL Subclass-Large
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Measure was log transformed and back transformed to improve distribution; results for large HDL subclass are presented; Measure Description: Size classifications of HDL subclasses are as follows: large (size 9.4-14.0 nm), medium (8.3-9.3 nm), and small (7.3-8.2 nm). Higher levels of large HDL may be inversely related to cardiovascular risk.
12 weeks

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
Change in the Composition of the Gut Microbiota
Time Frame: 12 weeks
Abundance measured using 16 s rRNA sequencing
12 weeks

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.
Penn State University

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
American Pecan Council

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: Kristina Petersen, PhD, Penn State University

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.
August 15, 2022

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 1, 2024

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.
March 1, 2024

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).
September 28, 2021

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.
September 28, 2021

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.
October 8, 2021

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.
March 25, 2025

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.
February 4, 2025

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.
February 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

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.
  • PKE PECAN

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

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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Conditions

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Locations

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