Implicit Priming for Obesity

Overseen by Jason R. Tregellas, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Recruiting

Sponsor: University of Colorado, Denver

Disqualifiers: Mri contraindications, pregnancy

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

The purpose of this study is to determine how different behavioral interventions designed to alter food perceptions and behaviors affect brain responses to food, eating behaviors, and body weight.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications for the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications.

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Implicit Priming for Obesity?

Research shows that interventions targeting implicit biases, like Go/No-Go tasks, can have small positive effects on eating behaviors by altering automatic responses to food. Additionally, attention modification training has been shown to reduce overeating in obese children by training them to focus away from food cues. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is implicit priming therapy safe for humans?

The studies on implicit priming interventions, such as attention modification and approach-avoidance training, do not report any safety concerns, suggesting they are generally safe for use in humans. ^{1 2 3 6 7}

How does the treatment 'Implicit Priming for Obesity' differ from other treatments for obesity?

Implicit Priming for Obesity is unique because it focuses on modifying attentional biases towards food cues, training individuals to unconsciously shift their attention away from food, unlike traditional treatments that may focus on diet or exercise. This approach is based on cognitive bias modification techniques, which have been used in other areas like anxiety and substance abuse, and it targets the underlying mental processes that contribute to overeating. ^{1 2 4 8 9}

Research Team

Jason R. Tregellas, PhD

Principal Investigator

University of Colorado, Denver

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for adults aged 18-65 with obesity, defined as having a BMI of 27 or greater. It's not suitable for pregnant individuals or those who cannot undergo MRI scans due to metal or electronic devices in their body.

Inclusion Criteria

BMI of 27 or greater

I am between 18 and 65 years old.

Exclusion Criteria

MRI contraindications (e.g., metal or electronic devices in the body)

Pregnancy

Trial Timeline

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants undergo weekly behavioral interventions, including active or control implicit priming and a food exposure task, for 12 weeks

12 weeks

12 visits (in-person)

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in food intake, body weight, fat mass, and brain responses to food cues

4 weeks

Treatment Details

Interventions

• Active Implicit Priming (Behavioral Intervention)
• Control Implicit Priming (Behavioral Intervention)
• Food Exposure Task (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial Overview The study tests how 'Active Implicit Priming' and 'Control Implicit Priming' interventions influence brain reactions to food, eating habits, and weight when compared to a 'Food Exposure Task'.

Participant Groups

Group I: Active Implicit Priming Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Participants will complete active implicit priming, in which food images are implicitly primed (i.e., below conscious awareness) with images of positive or negative affect. This will be completed on a weekly basis for 12 weeks, for approximately 10 minutes each time.

Group II: Food Exposure Task Active Control 1 Intervention

Participants will complete a Food Exposure Task, in which they will be asked to smell, feel, lick, and imagine eating food items, but without actually eating them. This will be completed on a weekly basis for 12 weeks, for approximately 10-30 minutes each time.

Group III: Control Implicit Priming Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Participants will complete control implicit priming, which matches the active intervention, but with neutral stimuli as primes. This will be completed on a weekly basis for 12 weeks, for approximately 10 minutes each time.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Colorado, Denver

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,842

Recruited

3,028,000+

Aviva Abosch

University of Colorado, Denver

Chief Medical Officer since 2019

MD

Uday B. Kompella

University of Colorado, Denver

Chief Executive Officer since 2015

PhD in Pharmaceutical Sciences

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Collaborator

Trials

2,513

Recruited

4,366,000+

Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Chief Executive Officer since 2007

MD, M.A.C.P.

Dr. Griffin P. Rodgers

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

Chief Medical Officer since 2007

MD, M.A.C.P.

Findings from Research

This meta-analysis of 30 randomized controlled trials found that interventions targeting implicit biases, particularly through Go/No-Go tasks, have a small but significant effect on improving dietary behaviors and reducing implicit biases related to eating.

The study suggests that changes in implicit biases are linked to changes in eating behavior, indicating that these interventions could be useful for promoting healthier dietary choices, although further research is needed to assess their practical application in everyday life.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implicit process interventions in eating behaviour: a meta-analysis examining mediators and moderators. Aulbach, MB., Knittle, K., Haukkala, A.[2020]

A single session of attention modification training (AMP) significantly reduced overeating behaviors in overweight and obese children, as evidenced by decreased calorie consumption during free access sessions compared to a control group.

Children in the AMP group showed a trend towards improved attentional bias away from food cues, suggesting that this training could be a promising intervention for managing overeating in this population.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot study evaluating a one-session attention modification training to decrease overeating in obese children. Boutelle, KN., Kuckertz, JM., Carlson, J., et al.[2021]

A study involving 133 children aged 7-10 demonstrated that a go/no-go task, which modified implicit reactions to energy-dense snacks, led to a significant 34% reduction in calorie intake compared to a control task.

The effectiveness of the go/no-go task in reducing snack consumption was consistent regardless of whether children were exposed to food or nonfood advertisements, indicating a robust intervention strategy for promoting healthier eating habits.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Targeting implicit approach reactions to snack food in children: Effects on intake. Folkvord, F., Veling, H., Hoeken, H.[2019]

Overweight and obese women (N = 104) showed that training to either attend to or avoid food pictures significantly modified their attentional bias, with effects lasting for at least one week after training.

The 'avoid' group not only reduced their attentional bias towards food but also produced fewer food-related words in a word stem task, suggesting that modifying attentional bias could be a useful strategy in addressing overeating behaviors.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Longevity of attentional bias modification effects for food cues in overweight and obese individuals. Kemps, E., Tiggemann, M., Hollitt, S.[2018]

In a study involving 189 patients with obesity, an approach-avoidance training program successfully improved the participants' ability to avoid unhealthy food cues, indicating a potential method to counteract automatic overeating tendencies.

Despite the positive changes in approach-avoidance bias, the training did not lead to significant improvements in eating behavior, body mass index, or eating pathology, suggesting that further research is needed to determine its practical effectiveness in obesity treatment.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Retraining of automatic action tendencies in individuals with obesity: A randomized controlled trial. Ferentzi, H., Scheibner, H., Wiers, R., et al.[2019]

The study involved 59 overweight children and adolescents aged 8-16 years, and it demonstrated that approach-avoidance training (AAT) significantly improved children's tendencies to reject unhealthy snack items and approach healthier vegetable options, indicating a potential method for modifying eating behaviors.

While both implicit and explicit training approaches were tested, the results showed no significant differences between them, suggesting that AAT can effectively influence automatic food-related behaviors in children regardless of the training method used.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Battle of plates: a pilot study of an approach-avoidance training for overweight children and adolescents. Warschburger, P., Gmeiner, M., Morawietz, M., et al.[2023]

A study involving 240 undergraduate women found that combined avoidance and control training significantly reduced implicit liking for unhealthy snack foods, suggesting a potential method to combat unhealthy eating behaviors.

Participants who underwent this combined training also made fewer unhealthy food choices, supporting the idea that automatic responses to food cues can be modified, although the training did not significantly affect actual food intake.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of combined avoidance and control training on implicit food evaluation and choice. Kakoschke, N., Kemps, E., Tiggemann, M.[2019]

Elderly individuals with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) can be motivated to change their eating habits by being exposed to images of healthy foods, which may help in their weight reduction efforts.

The study found that when these individuals are primed with the goal of 'slimming', they are more likely to perceive healthy food as attractive and employ strategies to resist unhealthy food temptations.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Role of Motivation to Reduce Obesity among Elderly People: Response to Priming Temptation in Obese Individuals. Obara-Gołębiowska, M., Brycz, H., Lipowska, M., et al.[2018]

A novel cognitive bias modification (CBM) program was tested on 30 participants with subclinical bulimic eating disorder, showing significant reductions in their approach and attentional biases towards high-caloric food after ten 15-minute training sessions over 5 weeks.

Participants reported decreased food cravings and bulimic symptoms, indicating that this CBM program could effectively change automatic responses to food stimuli in individuals with bulimic eating disorder tendencies.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Approach Bias Modification in Food Craving-A Proof-of-Concept Study. Brockmeyer, T., Hahn, C., Reetz, C., et al.[2018]

References

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Implicit process interventions in eating behaviour: a meta-analysis examining mediators and moderators. [2020]

2. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A pilot study evaluating a one-session attention modification training to decrease overeating in obese children. [2021]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Targeting implicit approach reactions to snack food in children: Effects on intake. [2019]

4. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Longevity of attentional bias modification effects for food cues in overweight and obese individuals. [2018]

5. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Retraining of automatic action tendencies in individuals with obesity: A randomized controlled trial. [2019]

6. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Battle of plates: a pilot study of an approach-avoidance training for overweight children and adolescents. [2023]

7. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effect of combined avoidance and control training on implicit food evaluation and choice. [2019]

8. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The Role of Motivation to Reduce Obesity among Elderly People: Response to Priming Temptation in Obese Individuals. [2018]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Approach Bias Modification in Food Craving-A Proof-of-Concept Study. [2018]