Exercise Effects on the Neurobiology Underlying Stress-related Eating Behaviors in Veterans
- Conditions
- Overweight/ObesityStress
- Interventions
- Behavioral: Exercise
- Registration Number
- NCT06627569
- Lead Sponsor
- VA Office of Research and Development
- Brief Summary
The purpose of this study is to learn more about how common lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, affect how our brains respond to performing thinking tasks and to viewing pictures of foods and various other objects. The investigators are also interested in how changes in hormones that might be different in men and women could affect how lifestyle interventions change these brain responses.
- Detailed Description
The purpose of this study is to learn more about how common lifestyle interventions, such as exercise, affect how our brains respond to performing thinking tasks and to viewing pictures of foods and various other objects. The investigators are also interested in how changes in hormones that might be different in men and women could affect how lifestyle interventions change these brain responses. This will help us to better understand how different lifestyle interventions affect the brain and how this might relate to various behaviors. Eligible participants will be asked to complete 2 study days before and again after a 12-week intervention period, during which they will either continue with usual activities or be asked to complete exercise sessions four times per week. They will be randomly assigned to one of these conditions (exercise or not) and will not be able to choose their group assignment.
Recruitment & Eligibility
- Status
- NOT_YET_RECRUITING
- Sex
- All
- Target Recruitment
- 132
- Veterans 18-75 years old
- BMI of 25 or greater
- Physically inactive
- Able to attend study visits in person in Aurora, CO
- Currently pregnant
- History of bariatric surgery
- Contraindication to MRI (weight > 500 lbs; claustrophobia; metal or electronic devices in the body)
- Unable to exercise due to cardiac, pulmonary, neurologic, or orthopedic reasons
- Unable to pass screening graded exercise treadmill test
Study & Design
- Study Type
- INTERVENTIONAL
- Study Design
- PARALLEL
- Arm && Interventions
Group Intervention Description Exercise Exercise Participants will complete 4 aerobic exercise training sessions per week for 12 weeks. The exercise program will begin at 15 minutes per session and duration will be gradually increased by 5 minutes each week until you reach 45 minutes per session. Exercise will be performed at a "moderate to vigorous "intensity, which will be about 60-70% of your predicted maximal level. Participants will meet with study personnel once per week.
- Primary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Percent change in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response to visual food cues as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) Baseline, 12 weeks Percent change in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response from baseline to after the 12-week intervention period while viewing visual food cues. The primary contrast of interest is the comparison of high-calorie food images to nonfood object images.
Change in serum cortisol response to counting task Baseline, 12 weeks Change from baseline to after the 12-week intervention period in serum cortisol levels (mcg/dL) throughout a counting task involving mental math (measured as area under the curve).
- Secondary Outcome Measures
Name Time Method Change in heart rate response to counting task Baseline, 12 weeks Change from baseline to after the 12-week intervention period in heart rate (measured by photoplethysmograph; aggregated in 1 min intervals) throughout a counting task involving mental math (measured as area under the curve).
Trial Locations
- Locations (1)
Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center, Aurora, CO
🇺🇸Aurora, Colorado, United States