Water Intake and Weight Control in Older Adults

September 1, 2026 updated by: Brenda Davy, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
This study is a randomized controlled intervention trial in adults aged 50+ years with overweight or obesity, which will compare three groups with different diet prescriptions: 1) pre-meal water consumption (500 ml, before each main meal) with a hypocaloric diet; 2) 1500 ml water consumed throughout the day with a hypocaloric diet; 3) hypocaloric diet with no instructions regarding water consumption. Smart water bottles will objectively assess water intake timing and volume. Urine osmolality, urine volume, and serum osmolality will be used as objective indicators of compliance with the water intake prescription. We will investigate changes in perceived hunger and fullness and appetite-regulating hormones as potential mechanisms by which premeal water could improve appetite regulation. We will also investigate the impact of water consumption and hydration on executive function capabilities, which may influence intervention adherence. Although increasing water intake could be an effective weight management strategy, no evidence-based recommendations exist for the timing of water intake needed for this benefit.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

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.

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 (Estimated)

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.
375

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 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: Brenda Davy, PhD RDN
  • Phone Number: 540-231-6784
  • Email: bdavy@vt.edu

Study Contact Backup

  • Name: Elaina Marinik, PhD
  • Phone Number: 540-231-0923
  • Email: emarinik@vt.edu

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Virginia
      • Blacksburg, Virginia, United States, 24061
        • Virginia Tech

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

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • aged 50+ years
  • BMI ≥25 kg/m2
  • weight stable (+/- 2 kg) in past 6 months
  • willing to provide consent and comply with study protocol

Exclusion Criteria:

  • usual plain drinking water intake >1500 ml/d
  • uncontrolled hypertension (>159/99 mmHg)
  • medical condition requiring specialized diet prescription (eg, T2D, CHF wih fluid restriction)
  • medical condition that precludes participating in a physical activity program (eg, orthopedic injury)
  • current or history of GI disease (eg, Crohn's), GI surgery, or medications which impact GI function
  • allergies or aversions to foods included in the test meals

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: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

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: Pre-meal water + Hypocaloric diet
premeal water ( 500 ml) before each main meal, three times per day + hypocaloric diet
Behavioral: Water intake and weight control in older adults - Premeal Water + hypocaloric diet
Individuals will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. All individuals will receive counseling in a structured hypocaloric meal plan (1200-1500 kcal) that is consistent with a healthy dietary pattern as described by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This group will receive specific instructions for daily water intake timing and volume.
Experimental: Daily water + Hypocaloric diet
total daily water prescription (1500 ml/d) + hypocaloric diet
Behavioral: Water intake and weight control in older adults - Total Daily Water + hypocaloric diet
Individuals will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. All individuals will receive counseling in a structured hypocaloric meal plan (1200-1500 kcal) that is consistent with a healthy dietary pattern as described by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This group will receive specific instructions for total daily water intake.
Active Comparator: Hypocaloric Diet alone
hypocaloric diet with not instructions regarding water intake
Behavioral: Water Intake and weight control in older adults - hypocaloric diet alone
Individuals will be randomly assigned to one of three groups. All individuals will receive counseling in a structured hypocaloric meal plan (1200-1500 kcal) that is consistent with a healthy dietary pattern as described by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. This group will receive instructions in the hypocaloric diet, without specific fluid intake recommendations.

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
Body weight change
Time Frame: weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase
Body weight change in weight loss and weight loss maintenance phases
weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase

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
Change in appetite sensations
Time Frame: weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase
Changes in hunger and fullness, assessed using 100mm Visual Analog Scales (VAS), in weight loss and weight loss maintenance phases. These changes may mediate adherence to the hypocaloric diet and weight loss outcomes.
weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase
Change in hydration status
Time Frame: weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase
Changes in hydration status, assessed using urine and serum osmolality, urine specific gravity, and serum sodium, in weight loss and weight loss maintenance phases. These changes may mediate intervention adherence.
weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase
Change in executive function (EF)
Time Frame: weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase
Changes in EF (attention, inhibition) assessed using ePRIME computerized tasks, in weight loss and weight loss maintenance phases. These changes may mediate intervention adherence.
weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase

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
Changes in appetite hormones
Time Frame: weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase
Changes in appetite hormones, specifically blood concentrations of ghrelin, PYY 3-36, leptin, and CCK in response to a standardized test meal with an energy content of 25% estimated energy requirements.
weeks 0 to 12 in the weight loss phase, month 0 to 12 post weight loss phase

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.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

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: Brenda Davy, PhD RDN, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and 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.
November 13, 2023

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
December 20, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

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 31, 2028

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).
April 12, 2023

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.
April 24, 2023

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.
May 6, 2023

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.
September 4, 2026

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.
September 1, 2026

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.
August 1, 2026

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.
  • 22-624

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

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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