Identifying Changes in Food Behaviors Associated With Beginning GLP-1 Medication

Exploring the Influence of GLP-1 Medication on Food Attitudes and Selection in a Virtual Reality Buffet

In recent years, GLP-1 medications have become a widely employed approach by physicians to address weight concerns in patients and lead to weight loss. Little is known, however, about how these medications may alter an individual's attitude towards food, food reactivity, or the specific types and amounts of foods an individual will choose. The purpose of this study is to observe the changes an individual experiences in their relationship and reaction to food and in their food selection prior to or within the first two weeks of taking GLP-1 medication to after three months on the medication. The researchers of this study believe that an understanding of such changes can inform questions seeking to ensure maintenance of appropriate nutrient balance within individuals on weight loss medications.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Weight Loss; Food Selection
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: GLP-1 Medication Initiation

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Estimated): 25

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Christina M Blackmon; Phone Number: 425-499-8049; Email: cmb8633@psu.edu

Study Locations

• United States
  • Pennsylvania
    • State College, Pennsylvania, United States, 16802
      • Recruiting
      • Health, Ingestive Behavior, and Technology Laboratory of Pennsylvania State University
      • Contact: Christina M Blackmon; Phone Number: 425-499-8049; Email: cmb8633@psu.edu

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Participants will be identified from a list of medical patients prescribed GLP-1 medication by their physicians (located in offices near State College or Hershey, PA) and who volunteered to be contacted regarding studies they are eligible for.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults (18+) with overweight or obesity (BMI >25 kg/m2)
• Not currently taking an incretin-based medication at baseline
• Recently (within two weeks) prescribed a GLP-1, can be included if they have a obesity-related co-occurring condition (diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, dyslipidemia)
• Have had no prior diagnosis of cognitive or physical disability, dyslexia, or epilepsy.
• Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Adults (18+) without overweight or obesity
• <18 years of age at time of testing
• Adults not taking a GLP-1 Medication
• Adults taking a compound GLP-1
• Adults on GLP-1 medication for longer than 2 weeks at baseline
• Have had a prior diagnosis of cognitive or physical disability, dyslexia, or epilepsy.
• Not fluent in English

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Time Frame
Change from Baseline in Total Weight of Food Selected in the VR Buffet at 3 Months	Baseline and 3 months
Change from Baseline in Total Calories of Food Selected in the VR Buffet at 3 Months	Baseline and 3 months
Change from Baseline in Energy Density of Food Selected in the VR Buffet at 3 Months	Baseline and 3 months
Change from Baseline in Variety of Food Selected in the VR Buffet at 3 Months	Baseline and 3 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Baseline Weight Watchers Food Noise Score at 3 Months	Based on participant's answers to the WW Food Noise questionnaire; Scale of 1-5, 1 being strongly disagree and 5 being strongly agree; Higher scores mean more food noise	Baseline and 3 months
Change in Baseline 9-question External Food Cue Responsiveness Questionnaire Score at 3 Months	Answers are on a 1-4 scale with 1 being "Rarely" and 4 being "A lot"; higher scores suggest more external food cue reactivity	Baseline and 3 months
Change in Baseline Adult Eating Behavior Score at 3 Months	Answers on a 1-5 scale with 1 being "Strongly disagree" and 5 being "Strongly agree"; 8 subscales, high scores indicate greater expression of subscale measure	Baseline and 3 months
Change in Baseline Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire Score at 3 Months	Rated on a scale of 1-4 with 1 being "Definitely false" and 4 being "Definitely true"; 3 subscales, higher scales on each means greater expression of that behavior	Baseline and 3 months
Change in Baseline General Food Craving-Trait Scale Score at 3 Months	Rated on a 0-5 scale with 0 being "Never/not applicable" and 5 being "Always"; higher scores mean more food dependent	Baseline and 3 months
Change in Baseline Buffet Food Liking Scores at 3 Months	Rated on a 0-100 scale with 0 being "Dislike extremely" and 100 being "Like extremely"; high scores mean greater liking of the food	Baseline and 3 months

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Change in Baseline BMI at 3 Months	Calculated from height and weight collected at the end of both sessions	Baseline and 3 months

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Penn State University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Travis Masterson, The Pennsylvania State University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): July 15, 2025
• Primary Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 20, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 20, 2025
• First Posted (Actual): February 25, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): September 10, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 3, 2025
• Last Verified: September 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: GLP-1; Virtual Reality; Weight Loss; Food behavior
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Body Weight; Body Weight Changes; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior; Signs and Symptoms; Feeding Behavior; Weight Loss; Food Preferences
• Other Study ID Numbers: STUDY00026642

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