How expected meal availability changes eating and decision-making in young women
Decision-making and Food Intake ("Buffet Study")
NA · German Institute of Human Nutrition · NCT07133529
This study will test whether knowing when a meal will be available changes how healthy, naturally cycling women respond to food cues, feel, and how much they eat.
Quick facts
| Phase | NA |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 45 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years to 35 Years |
| Sex | Female |
| Sponsor | German Institute of Human Nutrition (other) |
| Locations | 1 site (Nuthetal, Brandenburg) |
| Trial ID | NCT07133529 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
In a within-subjects randomized crossover design, healthy, nulliparous women attend two afternoon sessions after an overnight fast: one where meal timing and duration are fully disclosed (certain) and one where that information is withheld (uncertain). During each visit participants complete cognitive and behavioral tests, provide venous blood samples at six fixed intervals to measure ghrelin, leptin, insulin, glucose, and cortisol, and are invited to sample ad libitum from a 30-item buffet under the assigned instructions. Participants also log all food intake in a smartphone app for three days before the first session to capture real-world eating patterns. The design compares hormonal, cognitive, mood, interoceptive, and consumption outcomes between the certainty and uncertainty conditions within the same individuals.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal participants are healthy, nulliparous women aged 18–35 with regular 25–32 day menstrual cycles, BMI 18.5–30 kg/m2, fluent German speakers, not pregnant and not using hormonal contraceptives or IUDs in the prior six months, with no diagnosed psychiatric, metabolic, gastrointestinal, or cardiovascular disorders.
Not a fit: People who are pregnant, use hormonal contraception or IUDs, have a history of eating disorders or other psychiatric/metabolic illnesses, have irregular cycles, are outside the BMI range, or are not fluent in German are unlikely to benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could inform ways to reduce overeating by clarifying how expectations about meal availability influence appetite, mood, and hunger hormones.
How similar studies have performed: Prior laboratory studies have linked uncertainty, stress, and hunger hormones to altered eating, but applying explicit meal-availability cues in a randomized within-subject design with repeated hormone sampling is relatively novel.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Nulliparous women (age: 18-35 years) with a regular menstrual cycle (25-32 days) * Legally competent/Consent to participate * Language proficiency in German (native speaker, fluent) * Physically and mentally healthy * Body mass index (BMI) of 18.5 - 30 kg/m2 Exclusion Criteria: * Current or use of hormonal contraceptives in the previous 6 months * Current use of hormonal intra-uterine devices (IUDs) * Previous or current pregnancy * Diagnosed psychological or metabolic disorder * Former or current illnesses of: 1. Brain or mind (including anxiety disorders, depression, eating disorders, personality disorders, alcohol, drugs or drug or non-substance dependence, neurological disorders other than occasional headache, psychiatric or neurological abnomalities) 2. Heart or blood circulation/cardiovascular disease (myocardial infarction, stroke, hypertension, hypotension, having a pacemaker) 3. Gastro-intestinal disorders (e.g. colon diseases, irritable bowel syndrome, Crohn's disease) 4. Endocrine disorders (e.g. thyroid disorders) 5. Other serious past or present medical conditions (for example, metabolic syndrome, diabetes) * Other serious health problems or current severe mental or physical stress. * Blood clotting disorder * Fear of drawing blood * Severe anemia * Previously diagnosed hypoglycemia episodes * Regular intake of medication (e.g. Antidepressant/anti-anxiety medication) * Blood donation within 4 weeks before the study appointment * Intake of anticoagulant medications * illegal drug consumption * smoking or nicotine consumption * extreme athletes * vegetarians or vegans or any other dietary restrictions due to allergies or intolerances * shift workers
Where this trial is running
Nuthetal, Brandenburg
- German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke — Nuthetal, Brandenburg, Germany (RECRUITING)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Soyoung Q Park, Prof. Dr. — German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke
- Study coordinator: Renée Sophie Cuntz, MSc
- Email: Renee.Cuntz@dife.de
- Phone: +49 33 200 88 2519
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions: Behavior, Hormones, Stress, Cognition, Food Intake, Decision-making, Food intake, Food uncertainty