Appetite and Dietary Intake Across the Menstrual Cycle

Launched by UNIVERSITY OF BRITISH COLUMBIA · Mar 21, 2024

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial is exploring how a woman's appetite and food intake change during different phases of her menstrual cycle. The researchers want to understand how factors like hormones, metabolism, body composition (the mix of muscle and fat in the body), physical activity, and premenstrual symptoms might affect eating habits. The study will involve healthy pre-menopausal women who will be observed in both a lab setting and their everyday lives.

To participate, women must be between 18 and 35 years old, have a healthy body weight (BMI between 18.5 and 24.9), and have regular menstrual cycles. Participants should not be pregnant or breastfeeding, and they must be willing to fast for 12 hours before study visits. Throughout the study, women will be asked to keep track of their food intake and be part of assessments regarding their overall health and activity levels. This research could help us better understand the relationship between a woman's menstrual cycle and her eating behavior, which is important for promoting better dietary habits.

Gender

FEMALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • Female sex
• • Age: 18 - 35 years
• • Nulliparous
• • Body mass index (BMI): 18.5 - 24.9 kg/m2
• • Premenopausal, with regular menstrual cycle (every 21-38 days, by self-report)
• • Sedentary or recreationally active, defined as: \<300 minutes per week of voluntary exercise at moderate intensity or greater over the past 12 weeks
• • Not currently pregnant or lactating, not planning to become pregnant in the next 12 weeks
• • Ability and willingness to fast for 12 hours before each study day visit
• * If applicable:
• • For people who occasionally (i.e., \<1x/day) use cannabis (including cannabidiol-based products): ability and willingness to abstain from cannabis for two days prior to each study day visit, the day of each study visit, and during each ad libitum diet phase.
• • For people who use cannabis daily: ability and willingness to continue to use the exact same amount of cannabis as they normally use for two days prior to each study day visit, the day of each study visit, and during each ad libitum diet phase.
• Exclusion Criteria:
• * Current or previous major comorbidities, by self-report, including:
• • Cardiovascular diseases
• • Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
• • Cancer
• • Thyroid diseases
• • Human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B or C
• • Renal diseases
• • Hepatic diseases
• • Polycystic ovary syndrome
• * Uncontrolled/untreated (self-report):
• • Hypertension (or measured diastolic blood pressure \> 100 mm HG or systolic blood pressure \> 160 mm HG)
• • Dyslipidemia
• • Sleep disorders
• • Any other condition that may affect appetite and energy balance
• * Currently or in the past six months:
• • Use of oral contraceptive pills, or any other hormone-related birth control
• • Progestin-releasing intrauterine device
• • Use of any hormone therapy/medication ( except medication for thyroid conditions, that has not been altered for \>6 months)
• • Use of regular medication that may affect appetite, energy balance, or sleep
• • Regular use of tobacco or nicotine products
• • Starting any new prescription medication within two weeks of the first study day visit or during the study
• • If applicable, inability to abstain from supplements or herbal products that may impact sex hormones (e.g., chastetree, phytoestrogens, calcium d glucarate, soy isoflavones, maca, black cohosh, red raspberry, etc.) for two weeks prior to the first study day visit and until the second study day visit and free-living assessments are completed.
• • Working night shifts or traveling across more than 2 time zones within two weeks of and throughout the study
• • Food intolerances or allergies that cannot be accommodated
• • History of surgical procedure for weight loss at any time (e.g. gastroplasty, gastric bypass, gastrectomy or partial gastrectomy, adjustable banding, gastric sleeve); history of extensive bowel resection for other reasons
• • Current alcohol or substance abuse (score \>1 on the cut down-annoyed-guilty-eye opener \[CAGE\] questionnaire)
• • Current or past history of eating disorders including anorexia nervosa, bulimia, binge eating disorder (self-report or score \>20 on the Eating Attitudes Test - 26 \[EATS-26\] questionnaire)
• • Current severe depression or history of severe depression within the previous year, based on score \> 30 on Beck Depression Inventory (BDI)
• • Weight loss \>5kg in past 12 weeks for any reason
• • Weight loss of \>20 kgs in past 3 years for any reason