Food Intake and the Adolescent Brain

The brain plays an integral role in how and what people eat. However, the brain's contribution to overeating is not well understood during sensitive developmental periods such as adolescence, when excessive weight gain and obesity prevalence are a significant concern.The proposed study will use functional magnetic resonance imaging to examine how the brain's response to excess energy is related to overeating in adolescents with and without obesity.

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Key information

Conditions

Feeding Behavior Adolescent Behavior Behavior, Animal Body Weight Brain Nutrition Disorders Nutritional and Metabolic Diseases Obesity Overnutrition Overweight Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms Pediatric Obesity Signs and Symptoms

Age range

13 year–18 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

University of Colorado

Aurora, Colorado, 80045, United States

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

male or female
13-18 years-old
resident of Colorado

Exclusion criteria

weigh less than 88 pounds or have a BMI% rank of <10% for age and sex;
have a physician's diagnosis of metabolic syndrome or diabetes (Type 1 or 2);
have a physician's diagnosis of anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa;
currently taking anti-psychotic medications (not including anti-depressant or anti- anxiety medications);
have a non-MRI safe device (e.g. pacemaker or defibrillator) or metal in the body (e.g. metal pins, shrapnel);
experience symptoms of claustrophobia when in small or closed-off places;
are pregnant or plan to become pregnant

Treatment and study plan

Energy Stimulus

Dietary Supplement

Energy stimulus (energy surplus v. energy neutral) will be randomly assigned at the first brain imaging visit. At the second brain imaging visit, the participant will receive the alternate stimulus from what they received at the first brain imaging visit.

Other names: aspartame, Glucola, glucose

Primary outcomes

Brain function

Time frame: brain imaging visit 1 (study visit 1); 30 minutes

Brain function will be quantified via the blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD) signal in the hypothalamus, insula, anterior cingulate cortex, nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and superior and inferior frontal gyri, and connectivity between these brain regions.
Disinhibited eating behavior

Time frame: study visit 2; 1.5 hours

Disinhibited eating behavior will be quantified via the kilocalories consumed during the test meal phase of the Eating in the Absence of Hunger laboratory protocol.

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Colorado, Denver

Other

Collaborators

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

Registry information

Official study title

The Neural Underpinnings of Disinhibited Eating Behavior in Adolescents With and Without Obesity

Acronym: ADOB

Important dates

Study start: 2019
Primary completion: 2024
Study completion: 2024
First posted: Dec 23, 2019
Registry last updated: Jun 8, 2025

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

Published trials that share one or more normalized conditions with this study.

Completed