Visceral Adiposity, Vagal Tone and Food Preferences: a Pilot Study

Launched by LAVAL UNIVERSITY · Dec 8, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, titled "Visceral Adiposity, Vagal Tone and Food Preferences: a Pilot Study," is exploring how body fat around the organs (known as visceral adiposity) affects our food choices and how we experience taste and smell. Researchers are interested in understanding how this fat may influence our cravings for certain foods, especially those high in sugar and fat. They believe that a nerve called the vagus nerve, which connects our digestive system to the brain, plays a key role in how we perceive hunger and fullness. By studying these connections, the trial aims to find better ways to help people manage their weight and overall health.

To participate in this study, individuals will need to be between 65 and 74 years old and have a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 35. This means they should not be underweight or severely overweight. Participants should be able to speak French and travel to the research center in Quebec for visits. However, certain people cannot join, including smokers, those who are pregnant or breastfeeding, and individuals with specific health conditions like diabetes or a history of certain surgeries. If you join, you can expect to take part in sensory tests that will help researchers understand how your body and brain respond to different foods.

Gender

ALL

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Have a BMI between 18.5 and 35 kg/m²;
• • French-speaking;
• • Be able to travel to the Research Center of the Institut Universitaire de Cardiologie et Pneumologie de Québec for an investigative visit.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • Smokers ;
• • Women who know they are pregnant, breastfeeding or menopausal;
• • Who have been diagnosed with type I or type II diabetes;
• • Having undergone bariatric surgery or obesity medication (GLP1 analogue, naltrexon-bupropion combination, etc.);
• • Presenting an allergy or intolerance to one of the products used in the sensory tests (taste test: sucrose, sodium chloride, citric acid, quinine hydrochloride dihydrate; olfactory test: citrus, lemongrass, cinnamon, mint, peppermint, banana, anise, turpentine, garlic, coffee, apple, clove, pineapple, rose, geranium, eucalyptus, wormwood, fennel, caraway, leather, n-butanol, linalool, pyridine, diethyl phthalate, propylene glycol);
• • Have a history of pathologies which, in the investigator's opinion, could interfere with the study criteria, such as ENT, neurological, upper digestive or cardiac pathologies;
• • Receiving long-term pharmacological treatment, in particular antidepressants, antipsychotics, benzodiazepines, beta-blockers, etc. ;
• • Presenting or having presented in the last 6 months a thymic episode such as depression, bipolar disorder, etc. ;
• • Wearing a cardiostimulator (pacemaker);
• • Minors or adults under guardianship.