Eating Behaviors Among Weight-Discordant Siblings

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Obesity
• Interventions: Other: Feeding study

• Registration Number: NCT01598389
• Lead Sponsor: University of Pennsylvania

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study was to compare weight-discordant siblings in eating in the absence of hunger, caloric compensation, and the quality of their habitual diet. The investigator hypothesized that, within families and controlling for age differences, overweight and obese siblings would show greater eating in the absence of hunger, poorer caloric compensation, and poorer diet quality (e.g., increased percent of energy from fat and caloric beverages) compared to normal-weight siblings.

Detailed Description

The study used a discordant sibling design to compare putative obesity-promoting eating traits among siblings, 5-12 years, who were raised in the same household, but were discordant for weight status (normal-weight: BMI-for-age between 5 and less than the 85th percentile; overweight/obese: BMI-for-age greater or equal to the 85th percentile). Forty-seven pairs of same-sex siblings (boys and girls) were recruited from the greater Philadelphia area to participate in a 4-week study during which their eating behaviors and body composition were assessed. The study tested the hypotheses that overweight/obese, compared to normal-weight, siblings exhibit 1) a weaker ability to compensate for calories, 2) a greater susceptibility towards eating in the absence of hunger, and 3) habitual dietary intakes that favor increased dietary energy density (kcal/g) and increased %energy derived from fat and caloric beverages. The use of a behavioral genetics design to study eating phenotypes among siblings is a unique approach to elucidate shared and non-shared environmental influences that can contribute to variations in weight status during childhood.

Basic Information
|
Recruitment & Eligibility
|
Study & Design
|
Trial Locations

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2008-10
• Primary Completion: 2011-05
• Study Completion: 2011-05
• Status Verified: 2012-05
• Study First Submitted: 2012-05-08
• Study First Submitted QC: 2012-05-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2012-05-10
• Study First Posted: 2012-05-15
• Last Update Posted: 2012-05-15

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 94

Inclusion Criteria

• same-sex;
• weight discordant (normal-weight vs. overweight/obese);
• meet age criteria;
• like most foods that were served in the study.

Read More

Exclusion Criteria

• serious medical conditions or medication use known to affect appetite, food intake and body weight;
• developmental or psychiatric conditions;
• food allergies or nutrient intolerances (including lactose intolerance).

Read More

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: CROSSOVER

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Low energy-dense preload	Feeding study	-
High energy-dense preload	Feeding study	-
No preload	Feeding study	-

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Energy intake	Up to 4 weeks	%COMPX, EAH, dietary intake variables

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Body composition	Single assessment at Week 4	Weight status (BMI-for-age percentile), BMI z-score, total body fat (%), waist circumference (cm), skinfold thickness (mm)

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

University of Pennsylvania; 🇺🇸 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States