Attention Bias Retraining for Obesity

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Overseen byJack A Yanovski, M.D.

Age: < 65

Sex: Female

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Background: People are constantly exposed to unhealthy foods. Some studies of adults show that training attention away from unhealthy foods might reduce overeating. Researchers want to see what happens in the brain when teens train their attention away from food through a program on a smartphone. Objective: To study the relationship between eating patterns, body weight, and how the brain reacts to different images. Eligibility: Right-handed females ages 12-17 who are overweight (Body Mass Index at or above the 85th percentile for age). Design: Participants will have 6 visits over about 8 months. Visit 1: participants will be screened with: Height, weight, blood pressure, and waist size measurements Medical history Physical exam Urine sample DXA scan. Participants will lie on a table while a very small dose of x-rays passes through the body. Questions about their general health, social and psychological functioning, and eating habits Parents or guardians of minor participants will answer questions about their child s functioning and demographic data. Before visits 2-6, participants will not eat or drink for about 12 hours. These visits will include some or all of these procedures: Blood drawn MRI scan. Participants will lie on a stretcher that slides in and out of a metal cylinder in a strong magnetic field. A device will be placed over the head. Meals provided. Participants will fill out rating forms. Simple thinking tasks A cone containing magnetic field detectors placed onto the head Medical history Physical exam Urine sample Participants will be assigned to a 2-week smartphone program that involves looking at pictures. Participants will complete short tasks and answer some questions about their eating habits and mood on the smartphone.

Research Team

Jack A Yanovski, M.D.

Principal Investigator

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for right-handed, overweight female teens aged 12-17 with a BMI at or above the 85th percentile. It's not for those who are pregnant, use substances regularly, have had significant brain injuries, are in weight loss programs or psychotherapy for eating behavior, take medications affecting weight/eating (except on a case-by-case basis), have serious psychiatric disorders or major illnesses.

Inclusion Criteria

Right handedness

You have not experienced any episodes of loss of control eating in the past month, as determined by a special interview with a doctor who specializes in eating disorders.

You have experienced at least one episode of loss of control (LOC) eating in the past month, which means you felt like you couldn't control your eating. This will be assessed using a special interview for eating disorders.

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Exclusion Criteria

I am currently in a program or therapy for weight loss or eating behavior.

I have lost more than 5% of my weight in the last three months.

Current pregnancy or a history of pregnancy

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Treatment Details

Interventions

Attention Bias Retraining (Behavioural Intervention)
Booster Attention Retraining (Behavioural Intervention)

Trial OverviewThe study tests if training attention away from unhealthy foods using a smartphone program can affect eating patterns and body weight in teens. Participants will undergo various assessments including MRI scans and blood tests over six visits spanning approximately eight months.

Participant Groups

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Placebo Group

Group I: AB RetrainingExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Active treatment - the probe always replaces the neutral picture. There is a perfect correlation between picture type and probe location.

Group II: Control shamPlacebo Group1 Intervention

Sham Comparator program - the probe randomly replaces the neutral or food picture. There is no correlation between picture type and probe location