Study of Nutrition and Activity in Kids (SNAK)

Sensitization of the Reinforcing Value of Food as a Predictor of Weight Change in Adolescents

While a substantial body of research suggests that RRV is related to obesity, there is very little research on factors that contribute to the RRV of food, particularly how patterns of eating can increase or decrease the motivation to eat specific foods. Previous work has demonstrated that a subset of individuals with obesity show increases in RRV of food after repeated consumption of large portions of high energy density (HED) snack foods, which has been conceptualized as sensitization. Preliminary data suggest that sensitization of the RRV of HED food is a predictor of weight gain over time. However, more work needs to be done to address this relationship using a planned, prospective study design, using adolescent research subjects, and examining potential moderators of this relationship.

The purpose of this study is to identify risk and protective factors to excess zBMI change in adolescents over time. Aim 1 was to measure the relative reinforcing value (RRV) of a preferred HED and low energy density (LED) snack food before and after 2-weeks of daily exposure. Aim 2 was to assess the RRV of exercise and sedentary activity. Hypotheses include 1) sensitization to HED food will be associated with greater zBMI at the time of testing as well as greater zBMI change over time 2) sensitization to LED food will be associated with lower zBMI at the time of testing in adolescents and less zBMI change over time. 3) Greater RRV of exercise will be protective against zBMI increases over time.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Obesity, Adolescent; Adolescent Behavior
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Reinforcing value of HED and LED foods in response to snack food monotony

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 201

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 12 years to 14 years (Child)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Adolescents living in the Western New York area, aged 12-14 years at the time of enrollment. Flyers were posted in the community within a 30 min drive of UB South Campus. Additionally, flyers were sent to list serves, posted on facebook, and distributed to both private and public schools within a 40 min drive of the university campus.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• between 12-14yoa (male and female)
• zBMI: -1.5 to +2.0 (*determined by Height/weight measurement at Visit 1)
• neutral or higher liking of the study foods
• Willingness to complete 9 study visits over 2 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• -metabolic or endocrine disorder
• use of medications known to effect appetite (Ritalin, Adderall, Concerta, Wellbutrin, Prednisone, etc)
• Unwilling to complete the study visits
• allergy to study foods
• dislike of study foods (*determined via Preference for Study foods forms at Visit 1)
• parent report that child reads below 4th grade reading level
• parent report that child cannot complete light physical activity without assistance
• No English Speaking parent or legal guardian (therefore cannot provide consent in English nor answer questionnaires for this study) * all other exclusion criteria are assessed from Survey monkey screening in advance of the first appointment vis parental report. At the first appointment the child is directly asses for height, weight, and The linking of study foods.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Observational Models: Cohort
• Time Perspectives: Prospective

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
zBMI Change	BMI z-score change over time. zBMI is a standardized index of body mass index used in children that is standardized to age and sex specific measurements from a national sample. 0 represents the national average. A positive number reflects a body mass index that is higher than the national average and a negative number reflects a body mass index that is lower than the national average.	through study completion, an average of 24 months from baseline.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: State University of New York at Buffalo
• Collaborators: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Temple JL, Ziegler AM, Crandall AK, Mansouri T, Hatzinger L, Barich R, Epstein LH. Sensitization of the reinforcing value of high energy density foods is associated with increased zBMI gain in adolescents. Int J Obes (Lond). 2022 Mar;46(3):581-587. doi: 10.1038/s41366-021-01007-w. Epub 2021 Nov 30.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): June 29, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 30, 2021
• Study Completion (Actual): February 28, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: July 18, 2019
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 19, 2019
• First Posted (Actual): July 22, 2019

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): January 10, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: January 6, 2023
• Last Verified: January 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: physical activity; obesity; adolescent; relative reinforcing value; weight change
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Overnutrition; Nutrition Disorders; Overweight; Body Weight; Obesity; Pediatric Obesity
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00000042; R01DK106265 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: Undecided

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No