Clinical trial

Direct Measurement of Microstructure of Ingestive Behaviour After Initiation of GLP-1 Receptor Agonist Treatment at Maximum Dose (DIGRAT)

Active, not recruiting · Not applicable · 1 countries · Registry ID NCT07457424

Active, not recruitingNot applicableObservational

What this study is about

Ingestion of food instigates the release of a battery of enteroendocrine peptide hormones that help control gut motility and digestive secretion. Peptide hormone products of the enteroendocrine L-cell and GLP-1 in particular, play multiple roles in relation to the regulation of pancreatic islet function and gastric emptying and the induction of satiety pathways in the central nervous system The mechanism of action of GLP-1 RAs on food intake reduction is mainly mediated through both peripheral and central nervous system (CNS) pathways. GLP-1 RAs directly stimulates POMC neurons and inhibits neuropeptide-Y (NPY) and Agouti-related peptide (AgRP) neurons in the arcuate nucleus resulting in a reduction in hunger and increases in fullness4. While there were studies which indirectly measured the changes of food preference and eating behaviour in humans after using GLP-1 RAs via visual analogue scales (VAS) or Patient's Experiences Questionnaires the investigators found there is a necessity to conduct the studies to do direct measurements of the changes of food preference and eating behaviour. Direct measures of an altered food selection in humans after using GLP-1 RAs have virtually not been performed likely due to the significant methodological and conceptual challenges they pose to researchers and study design. However, direct measures represent an essential component in the attempt to understand how GLP-1 RAs alters eating and diet selection which is the main reason of conducting this study. This innovative experiment will be a critical and a novel test of the explicit experience of humans with high-sugar high-fat fluids after using GLP-1 RAs and its potential role for the understanding of possible mechanisms determining post-treatment outcome such as weight loss.

A promising-looking record is not the same as confirmed eligibility. The study team must review the full criteria and current recruitment status.

Basic eligibility

Age18 Years to 75 Years
SexFemale
Healthy volunteersAccepted
ConditionMetabolic Disease, Obesity & Overweight

Full registry criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 to 75 * Treatment Group: BMI \> 30 kg/m2 and clinically indicated for GLP-1 RA's treatment. * Controls with obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) with no history of GLP-1 RA's treatment. * Healthy normal weight controls (BMI \< 25 kg/m2) with no history of using GLP-1 RAs * Independently mobile * Capacity to consent to participate Exclusion Criteria: * Pre-treatment factors impairing the ability to consume meal such as Significant dysphagia * Gastric outlet obstruction * Systemic or gastrointestinal condition which may affect food intake or preference * Pregnancy or lactation (At the beginning of each study visit, a urine pregnancy test will be performed for all female participants). * Active and significant psychiatric illness including substance misuse * Significant cognitive or communication issues * Medications with documented effects on food intake or food preference * History of significant food allergy and certain dietary restrictions (except for lactose intolerance)

Treatments and study arms

semaglutide 1 mg weekly injection

Drug

Initiation of semaglutide treatment with weekly injection. The patient starts at 0.25 mg for 4 weeks and then the dose escalates at 0.5 mg. The maximum dose of 1 mg is reached at week 12. The patients decided to undergo the treatment before they were recruited in the study.

Primary outcomes

Energy Intake from Liquid Meal ConsumptionAt baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks

Total energy intake (in kilocalories) from consumption of high-carbohydrate, high-sucrose, and high-fat lactose-free milk during each visit. Intake is measured using a drinkometer device that quantifies the exact volume consumed, which is then converted into kilocalories based on the known energy density of each meal type. The unit of measure is kilocalories (kcal).

Macrostructure of Ingestive Behaviour (Rate of Energy Intake)At baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks

The rate of energy intake is calculated for each participant during the ingestion of each of the one stimuli, based on standardised measurements from the drinkometer system. This measure reflects the average caloric intake per second over the course of the test stimulus consumption. Energy intake is determined by the volume of liquid consumed, multiplied by the known caloric density of the test stimulus, and divided by the duration of the ingestion period. The unit of measure is kilocalories per second (kcal/s). This outcome is assessed during the five study visits, in which a one test stimulus is administered at each visit.

Macrostructure of Ingestive Behaviour (Meal Duration)At baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks

Meal duration is defined as the total time taken by each participant to consume the liquid meal, measured using the standardised drinkometer system. The duration is recorded from the initiation of ingestion (first measurable suck) to the completion of consumption (last measurable suck). The unit of measure is seconds (s). This outcome is assessed during the five study visits. The test stimuli are offered to participants simultaneously.

Macrostructure of Ingestive Behaviour (Number of Sucks)At baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks

The primary outcome is the number of sucks performed by each participant during the ingestion of the liquid meal as measured using a standardised drinkometer system. A "suck" is defined as a discrete negative pressure event generated by the participant to draw in liquid, as detected by the drinkometer's calibrated weight sensors. For the stimulus, the total number of sucks is recorded as a simple count, with the unit of measure being "number (n)." The outcome is assessed at each of the five study visits, each of which features a single test stimulus administered in a standardised fashion.

Microstructure of Ingestive Behaviour (Suck Energy Intake)At baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks

Suck energy intake is defined as the total amount of energy (in kilocalories) consumed by the participant during each individual suck, measured for test stimuli using a standardised drinkometer system. For each test stimulus, the total caloric intake is calculated by multiplying the volume of liquid ingested by its caloric density and summing the values across all measured sucks. The unit of measure is kilocalories (kcal). This outcome is assessed during the five study visits, test stimuli are presented to the participant simultaneously.

Microstructure of Ingestive Behaviour (Suck Duration)At baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks

Suck duration is defined as the time span of each individual suck performed by the participant during the ingestion the liquid meal test stimuli, as measured by a standardised drinkometer system. For each test stimulus, the duration of every suck is recorded from the initiation to the completion of the negative pressure event. The unit of measure is seconds (s). This outcome is assessed during the five study visits, where the stimulus of the liquid meal is administered at each visit. The test stimuli are presented simultaneously.

Microstructure of Ingestive Behaviour (Suck Rate)At baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks

Suck rate is defined as the average energy intake of liquid ingested per second during each suck, measured for the test stimuli using a standardised drinkometer system. The energy intake consumed during each suck is divided by the corresponding suck duration to determine the rate of ingestion for that event. The unit of measure is kilocalories per second (kcal/s). This outcome is assessed during the five study visits, where the single test stimulus is administered at each visit. The test stimuli are presented simultaneously.

Microstructure of Ingestive Behaviour (Suck Maximal Rate)At baseline, 4 weeks, 12 weeks, 24 weeks, 52 weeks

Suck maximal rate is defined as the highest instantaneous rate of liquid ingestion (in kilocalories per second) achieved during any single suck by the participant for the test stimuli, as measured using a standardised drinkometer system. For the test stimulus, the maximal rate is determined by identifying the suck with the greatest energy intake per unit time among all measured sucks during the ingestion period. The unit of measure is kilocalories per second (kcal/s). This outcome is assessed during the five study visits where the stimuli are presented simultaneously.

Study locations

1 locations were listed when this page was built. The first 40 are shown.

Clinical Research Centre🇮🇪 Dublin, Dublin, Ireland