Metabolic Health, Bones and Nuts During Weight Loss in Adults (BERN)

November 3, 2026 updated by: Sue A. Shapses, Ph.D., RD, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

Metabolic Health, Bones and Nuts Sources of Fatty Acids During Weight Loss in Adults

The aging population is rapidly increasing, and it is important to identify dietary factors that can prevent disease and promote health in this group. Legumes, such as peanuts, are a plant-based food high in protein and unsaturated fat making this a healthy choice but are not consumed frequently enough in older adults. Studies have shown that regular nut consumption is associated with lower adiposity and reduced weight gain, and several dietary pattern studies indicate that nuts and legumes are associated with better bone health. In addition, our preliminary translational data indicates that a higher monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake is associated with improved bone mineral density (BMD) and quality. Given these findings, the proposed study aims to examine the impact of consuming peanut products on bone health, metabolic health (e.g., serum glucose, insulin, lipids and inflammation), markers of brain and sleep health, and physical function in overweight and obese older adults before and after a six-month weight loss intervention using a randomized controlled design. The results of this study have the potential to provide valuable insights into the role of peanuts as a sources of fatty acids in promoting health and preventing disease in at-risk adults.

Study Overview

Status

Status

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

Detailed Description

The aging population is rapidly increasing, and it is important to identify dietary factors that can prevent disease and promote health in this group. Legumes, such as peanuts, are a plant-based food high in protein and unsaturated fat making this a healthy choice but are not consumed frequently enough in older adults. Studies have shown that regular nut consumption is associated with lower adiposity and reduced weight gain, and several dietary pattern studies indicate that nuts and legumes are associated with better bone health. In addition, our preliminary translational data indicates that a higher monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake is associated with improved bone mineral density (BMD) and quality. Given these findings, the proposed study aims to examine the impact of consuming peanut products on bone health, metabolic health (e.g., serum glucose, insulin, lipids and inflammation), markers of brain and sleep health, and physical function in overweight and obese older adults before and after a six-month weight loss intervention using a randomized controlled design. The results of this study have the potential to provide valuable insights into the role of peanuts as a sources of fatty acids in promoting health and preventing disease in at-risk adults.

Specific Aims

  1. To determine whether consuming peanuts daily compared to a control group (no nuts) during lifestyle intervention has a differential effect on bone mineral density in older adults who are overweight or obese.
  2. To determine the temporal change in bone turnover biomarkers and bone regulating hormones during weight loss in the diet in older adults with overweight or obesity. Exploratory outcomes will examine metabolic biomarkers (serum glucose, insulin, lipid levels), brain (MRI and biomarkers) and sleep health and physical function.

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.
44

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.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

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

50 years to 75 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Men and postmenopausal women (>2 years since last menses), ages 50-75 years
  • Body mass index (25-42 kg/m2) or evidence of pre-clinical obesity.
  • Agree to be randomly assigned to consume a daily peanut snack or nut-free snack for 24 weeks
  • Must attend on-site visits (about 10) in New Brunswick, NJ, USA (transportation/reimbursement for travel not included)

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Peanut allergies or intolerances
  • Individuals with >5% weight loss in the past 3 months or those with extreme dietary/physical activity habits.
  • An inability to follow the experimental intervention or to perform the required specimen collections.
  • Individuals with significant psychiatric or food disorders.
  • Current diagnosis, or history of cancer in past 3 years.
  • Current diagnosis or history of bone diseases, type I or II diabetes if using insulin, gastrointestinal disease, hyperparathyroidism, Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, untreated thyroid disease, significant immune, hepatic, cardiac, or renal disease.
  • History of major surgery in the past 6 months
  • Regular use of medications that affect bone metabolism, including bisphosphonates or hormone replacement.
  • Regular use of medications for cholecystitis, urinary tract infection, severe organic diseases including coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, infectious diseases including pulmonary tuberculosis and AIDS.
  • Alcohol or illicit drug abuse
  • Any other condition deemed by the Research Physician that would prevent participation in the study, e.g. participation in another clinical research project that may interfere with the results of this study.
  • Participation in another clinical interventional research trial

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: Quadruple

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: Peanut

Peanut products
Dietary supplement: Peanut Snack Experimental

Subjects will receive a daily peanut snack and nutrition education-behavior modification instructions for weight loss
Active Comparator: Nut-free snack

Nut-free snack
Dietary supplement: Nut-free Snack

Subjects will receive a daily no-nut snack and nutrition education-behavior modification instructions for weight loss

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
Bone Mineral Density (BMD - total hip)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

dual energy x-ray absorptiometry; g/cm2
Change from baseline to 24 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
Soft tissue (lean and fat mass)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (kg)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Serum bone turnover
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Serum levels (ng/mL) of carboxyterminal crosslinking telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX), procollagen type-I aminoterminal propeptide (PINP), and osteocalcin
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Areal BMD
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry: lumbar spine, femoral neck, radius, total body, g/cm2
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Weight loss
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Body weight in kg
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Trabecular BMD
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

peripheral quantified computed tomography, g/cm3
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Trabecular separation
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

peripheral quantitative computed tomography, mm
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Trabecular bone volume / tissue volume
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

peripheral quantitative computed tomography, BV/TV (%)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Cortical and total (volumetric BMD)
Time Frame: change from baseline to 24 weeks

peripheral quantitative computed tomography, g/cm3
change from baseline to 24 weeks
Cortical (thickness)
Time Frame: change from baseline to 24 weeks

peripheral quantitative computed tomography, mm
change from baseline to 24 weeks
Cortical (porosity)
Time Frame: change from baseline to 24 weeks

peripheral quantitative computed tomography, %
change from baseline to 24 weeks
Inflammatory Markers
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Serum levels of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Lipid panel
Time Frame: Change in baseline and 24 weeks

serum LDL, HDL, triglycerides (mg/dL)
Change in baseline and 24 weeks
Cognition
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Neuropsychological Test Automated Battery (CANTAB)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Physical and sleep activity level
Time Frame: change from baseline to 24 weeks

Time spent in sleep, sedentary activity, and moderate-to-vigorous activity (minutes) using Actigraphy
change from baseline to 24 weeks
Sleep architecture (EEG)
Time Frame: Baseline and 24 weeks

Time spent in rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, and non-REM stages 1-3 sleep (minutes) and as a percentage of total sleep time
Baseline and 24 weeks
Subjective Sleep
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Sleep Diary will be used to assess quality of the previous night's sleep using a Likert scale (higher scores reflect higher quality sleep)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Body Temperature (CALERA)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

(Core, skin, heat flux)
Change from baseline to 24 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
Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Modified SPPB includes chair stand, balance test on1 leg and walk test (0-12; higher score is better)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Arm Curl
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Dumbbell weight (More arm curls are better. Score interpretation is age and sex dependent)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Hand Grip
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Dynamometer (kilograms, higher is better)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Circumferences
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

tape measure (waist and hip)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Glucose and insulin
Time Frame: Change from baseline and 24 weeks

Serum (mg/dL)
Change from baseline and 24 weeks
Parathyroid hormone
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

serum (pg/mL)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Serum (ng/mL)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Estradiol
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

serum (pg/mL)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Eating self-efficacy
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Weight lifestyle efficacy questionnaire short-form (0-80; higher score is better)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Diet Quality Score
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

nutrient analysis software (Healthy Eating Index 0-100; higher score is better)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Microbiota
Time Frame: Baseline and 24 weeks

stool
Baseline and 24 weeks
Blood pressure (systolic and diastolic)
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

sphygmomanometer (mmHg)
Change from baseline to 24 weeks
Quality of Sleep
Time Frame: Change from baseline and 24 weeks

Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index scores (0-21; higher score is worse)
Change from baseline and 24 weeks
MRI of the brain
Time Frame: Baseline to 24 weeks

Tissue/Blood (1 hour of MRI time)
Baseline to 24 weeks
Morningness-Eveningness Questionnaire
Time Frame: Baseline and after 24 weeks

Score (16-86; higher score is morningness vs low score is eveningness)
Baseline and after 24 weeks
Biomarkers of brain health
Time Frame: Baseline and after 24 weeks

Serum amyloid-beta (42,40) and tau markers (217, 181), BDNF, NfL
Baseline and after 24 weeks
Intestinal Permeability biomarker
Time Frame: Change from baseline to 24 weeks

Serum Zonulin
Change from baseline to 24 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.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

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.
October 30, 2025

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 31, 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.
December 31, 2027

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).
March 21, 2025

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 21, 2025

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.
April 29, 2025

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.
November 6, 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.
November 3, 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.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • Pro2023001457
  • 1156048 (Other Grant/Funding Number: TPIF)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

Individual participant data that underlie the results and after deidentification will be shared upon request for researchers who provide a methodologically sound proposal (and IRB approved).

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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