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Behavioral Intervention

Diet Changes for Depression

N/A
Recruiting
Led By D. Nyasha Chagwedera, MD, PhD
Research Sponsored by University of California, San Francisco
Eligibility Criteria Checklist
Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial
Must have
Willing to not change psychotropic medication or psychotherapy regimen during the study
Be older than 18 years old
Must not have
Psychiatric hospitalization in past 3 months
Currently taking or planning to use glucose lowering drugs or weight loss pills, immunosuppressives
Timeline
Screening 3 weeks
Treatment Varies
Follow Up 4 weeks and 9 weeks
Awards & highlights
No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial will test if patients with major depressive disorder can reduce their intake of highly processed foods in a personalized way.

Who is the study for?
This trial is for individuals with major depressive disorder who regularly consume a high amount of ultra-processed foods. It's designed to see if changing their diet can help with depression.
What is being tested?
The study tests the effects of reducing ultra-processed foods from participants' diets in a personalized way, aiming to understand its impact on depression symptoms.
What are the potential side effects?
Since this trial involves dietary changes rather than medication, side effects may include temporary digestive adjustments or food cravings as the body adapts to less processed food intake.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below
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I agree not to change my mental health medications or therapy during the study.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:
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I have not been hospitalized for psychiatric reasons in the last 3 months.
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I am using or plan to use drugs for lowering blood sugar or for weight loss.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks
Treatment ~ Varies
Follow Up ~4 weeks and 9 weeks
This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 4 weeks and 9 weeks for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.
Primary study objectives
Acceptability of the intervention
Feasibility of the intervention

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group
All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups
Experimental Treatment
Group I: Regular diet then intervention dietExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
4 weeks of eating the participant's regular diet followed by 4 weeks of eating a diet low in ultra-processed foods.
Group II: Intervention diet then regular dietExperimental Treatment1 Intervention
4 weeks eating a diet low in ultra-processed foods in diet followed by 4 weeks of eating the participant's regular diet.

Find a Location

Who is running the clinical trial?

University of California, San FranciscoLead Sponsor
2,587 Previous Clinical Trials
14,901,161 Total Patients Enrolled
34 Trials studying Obesity
11,430 Patients Enrolled for Obesity
D. Nyasha Chagwedera, MD, PhDPrincipal InvestigatorUniversity of California, San Francisco
Andrew Krystal, MD, MSPrincipal InvestigatorUniversity of California, San Francisco
3 Previous Clinical Trials
76 Total Patients Enrolled
~10 spots leftby Dec 2026