Healthy Eating Patterns During a Lifestyle Intervention (HEP)

The purpose of this study is to address the gap in knowledge regarding the relationship between eating frequency and weight loss.

Study Overview

• Status: Active, not recruiting
• Conditions: Obesity; Weight Loss
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Eating Frequency

Detailed Description

Little intervention research has been conducted to examine the influence of eating frequency (EF) on weight loss. It has been hypothesized an increased EF improves appetite control, assisting with better regulation of energy intake, thus decreasing body mass index. Unfortunately, outcomes have not shown greater appetite control with increased EF. Instead, trends favor a lower EF reducing energy intake thereby producing greater weight loss than a higher eating frequency. Thus, a lower eating frequency may lower energy intake via behavioral mechanisms. At thit time no research has examined the behavioral mechanisms that may mediate the relationship between a lower eating frequency and superior adherence to an energy-restricted diet.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 30
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• United States
  • Tennessee
    • Knoxville, Tennessee, United States, 37996
      • Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory, University of Tennessee

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• age between 18 and 65 years
• healthy overweight and obese men and women
• body mass index (BMI) between 27 and 45 kg/m squared

Exclusion Criteria:

• report a heart condition, chest pain during periods of activity or rest, or loss of consciousness on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR- Q)
• report being unable to walk for 2 blocks (1/4 mile) without stopping
• are currently participating in a weight loss program and/or taking weight loss medication or lost > 5% of body weight during the past 6 months
• diagnosed with type 1 or 2 diabetes
• have had bariatric surgery or are planning to have bariatric surgery in the next 4 months
• intend to move outside of the metropolitan area within the time frame of the investigation
• are pregnant, lactating, < 6 months post-partum, or plan to become pregnant during the investigation

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Three Meal; Participants in this condition will be instructed to limit their number of eating frequency to three meals per day.	Behavioral: Eating Frequency; Thirty adults will be provided an 8-week standard lifestyle intervention, that includes a 1200-1500 kcal/day, < 30% energy from fat dietary prescription, and a physical activity goal of 200 minutes/week. Participants will be randomized to one of two conditions differing in EF using a prescription we have tested previously. One condition will limit the number of eating bouts/day to three (Three Meal), while the second condition will consume at least 100 kcal every 2 to 3 hours which should lead to approximately 6 eating bouts/day (Grazing).
Experimental: Grazing; Participants in the increased eating frequency condition will be instructed to eat > 100 kcals every 2-3 hours.	Behavioral: Eating Frequency; Thirty adults will be provided an 8-week standard lifestyle intervention, that includes a 1200-1500 kcal/day, < 30% energy from fat dietary prescription, and a physical activity goal of 200 minutes/week. Participants will be randomized to one of two conditions differing in EF using a prescription we have tested previously. One condition will limit the number of eating bouts/day to three (Three Meal), while the second condition will consume at least 100 kcal every 2 to 3 hours which should lead to approximately 6 eating bouts/day (Grazing).

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Diet	Diet (eating frequency, kilocalories, macronutrients)	0 and 8 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA)	To evaluate the behavioral mechanisms of eating frequency, PalmPilot-based EMA will be used to collect real-time information on consumption cues.	0 and 8 weeks
Anthropometrics	Height (0 weeks only), weight and body mass index	0 and 8 weeks
Binge Eating	Assessed by the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire (EDE-Q), which is a 36-item questionnaire derived from the Eating Disorders Examination interview.	0 and 8 weeks
Physical Activity	Self-reported physical activity will be assessed using the Paffenbarger Activity Questionnaire.	0 and 8 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Hollie A Raynor, PhD, RD, University of Tennessee

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): August 1, 2012
• Primary Completion (Actual): December 31, 2018
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: September 5, 2012
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 5, 2012
• First Posted (Estimated): September 10, 2012

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 22, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 17, 2023
• Last Verified: June 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: eating frequency
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Body Weight; Body Weight Changes; Weight Loss
• Other Study ID Numbers: UTK IRB# FWA 6629