An interventional study of Big Breakfast and Big Dinner in Obesity and Weight Loss, sponsored by University of Aberdeen. Completed at 1 site in United Kingdom. Open to participants aged 18 Years to 75 Years, including healthy volunteers. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2020-04-06.
Sponsored by University of Aberdeen · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Among 11 studies in Obesity by University of Aberdeen — 2 open to participants now, 2 under way, none of them phase 3. Obesity · University of Aberdeen.
Among the 11 studies in Obesity by University of Aberdeen, this one is one of 2 that started in 2017, is one of 8 with no phase, and was the 6th registered.
11,522 studies on the registry are indexed under Obesity; 2,033 are open to participants now.
Browse Obesity studies →2 of the 11 studies in Obesity by University of Aberdeen are open now, in 1 country. Recruiting first, the newest first:
University of Aberdeen · Sites in United Kingdom
University of Aberdeen · Sites in United Kingdom
By country, each count listing its studies:
Of the 1,336 Obesity studies recruiting now, 377 (28%) set no upper age limit and 856 (64%) stop at 75 or younger; 168 take children under 18; 491 take healthy volunteers.
This study: 18 Years to 75 Years · all sexes · healthy volunteers too.
The full table on the hub →This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
11 studies; the count open now beside each. This study's row is marked.
First in 2009; this study’s year is marked. 2 started in 2017.
This study's enrollment of 31 is below the median of 67 across 9,006 interventional studies indexed under Obesity.
Median enrollment 26 across the 8 interventional studies, 128 across the 3 observational. Of the 9 that completed or were terminated, 0 (0%) have results posted.
This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
University of Aberdeen is the lead sponsor of 176 studies on the registry; 24 are open to participants now.
None of the studies under way reaches primary completion within a year.
Among the 11 studies in Obesity by University of Aberdeen, from their registry updates:
Nothing recorded among them since 2026-09-25.
This tab as a report to print or save as PDF → With an account.
This weight loss study will investigate the impact of calorie distribution across a day (large breakfast meals and smaller evening meals versus small breakfast meals and large evening meals) on body weight, and physiological and behavioral mechanisms regulating energy balance.
Participants will undergo 2 x 4 week energy restriction protocols in a randomized cross over design; big breakfast (45% of calories in the morning meal, 20% at dinner) and big dinner (45% of calories in the evening meal, 20% at breakfast). We predict that timing of eating will influence energy balance, because morning energy expenditure is amplified in comparison to the evening. This study will allow us to assess whether the increased energy expenditure in the morning is linked to natural biological circadian rhythm or behavioral adaptions.
Dietary advice for weight management is broadly based on the assumption that a 'calorie is a calorie' and it does not matter when calories are consumed across the day. Recent evidence has challenged this assumption, suggesting that we may utilize calories more efficiently when consumed in the morning relative to the evening, and this could be used as a beneficial strategy for weight loss - this is a newly developing field of investigation which merges circadian biology with nutrition (chrono-nutrition).
Timing of food consumption is a modifiable factor influencing energy balance and body weight (and thus, disease risk). Previous research has shown that calories ingested at different times of the day have different effects on energy utilization, leading to differential weight loss, even at iso-caloric amounts. This study will aim to increase our understanding of the underlying behavioral and physiological mechanisms associated with differential weight loss and energy balance when calories are consumed predominantly in the morning versus in the evening.
This study will be a cross-over study comparing large breakfast versus large evening meals (percent daily calories split between breakfast, lunch and dinner as 45-35-20 (breakfast-loaded) or 20-35-45 (evening-loaded)) during energy restriction (Fed to measured RMR) on energy balance, through differences in both physiological and behavioural changes in energy expenditure and substrate utilization.
Go through the criteria one by one — yes, no or not sure — and take the list to your doctor or the study team. Kept in this browser only.
Exclusion Criteria:
Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
BMI (body mass index)
Weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. Example: 70 kg and 1.75 m gives 70 ÷ (1.75 × 1.75) ≈ 22.9.
What counts as overweight or obesity differs between countries (some use lower cut-offs), so go by the range the study states.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraception
Ways of preventing pregnancy. “Highly effective” methods fail less than 1% of the time a year when used correctly — for example an IUD or an implant.
Criteria usually say which methods count and how long to keep using them after the last dose, sometimes for male participants too. Some studies accept a partner’s vasectomy if it was confirmed successful and that person is the participant’s only sexual partner.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Phase 1: no intervention, habitual diet for 4 days and then 4day maintenance diet Phase 2: consumption of BB energy restriction diets for 4 weeks Phase 3: washout for 1 week, controlled maintenance diet Phase 4: consumption of BD energy restriction diets for 4 weeks
Other: Big Breakfast · Other: Big Dinner
Phase 1: no intervention, habitual diet for 4 days and then 4day maintenance diet Phase 2: consumption of BD energy restriction diets for 4 weeks Phase 3: washout for 1 week, controlled maintenance diet Phase 4: consumption of BB energy restriction diets for 4 weeks
Other: Big Breakfast · Other: Big Dinner
Weight loss diet (Calories fed to measured RMR) with calories distributed predominantly at breakfast (percent daily calories split between breakfast, lunch and dinner as 45-35-20%). The diet will be high protein (30% protein, 35% fat and 35% CHO) with all meals provided.
Weight loss diet (Calories fed to measured RMR) with calories distributed predominantly at dinner (percent daily calories split between breakfast, lunch and dinner as 20-35-45%). The diet will be high protein (30% protein, 35% fat and 35% CHO) with all meals provided.
Energy balance
Change in energy balance during each diet protocol (body weight (kg))
Time frame: Measured up to day 71 of study
Total Daily Energy Expenditure
Total energy expenditure measured by DLW for the 4 week BB and BD diet phases
Time frame: 4 x 2 weeks. Throughout weeks 2-5 and 7-10.
Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR)
RMR measured with indirect calorimetry (ventilated hood)
Time frame: Baseline,week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Thermic effect of food (TEF)
TEF measured with indirect calorimetry (ventilated hood) for 6 hours after a breakfast meal
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Body Volume
Measured with Air Displacement plethysmography (BODPOD),
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Bone Mineral Content
Measured with Dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Total Body Water
Measured with deuterium dilution
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Body Composition
4 compartment model to assess changes in body composition (Combined from the measures of body weight, body volume, total body water and bone mineral)
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Gastric emptying
Gastric emptying measured using stable isotope, Octanoic acid labelled breath samples.
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Waist and hip circumference
Change in waist and hip circumferences and waist to hip ratio
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Gut appetite hormones
Change in plasma fasting and 2 hr post-meal appetite hormones
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Plasma glucose
Change in plasma fasting and 2 hr post-meal glucose
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Plasma insulin
Change in plasma fasting and 2 hr post-meal insulin
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Blood lipids
Change in plasma fasting and 2 hr post-meal blood lipids
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Daily Subjective Appetite
Changes in subjective appetite (hunger, fullness, desire to eat) measured using visual analogue scale questionnaires every waking hour for 3 days.
Time frame: Hourly measures for 3 days in week 1,week 5, week 6, week 10.
Postprandial Subjective Appetite
Changes in subjective appetite (hunger, fullness, desire to eat) measured using visual analogue scale questionnaires every 30 minutes for 6 hours after test meals.
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Faecal sample analysis for gut health
Chronic influence on changes in gut microbiota
Time frame: Week 1, week 5, week 6, week 10.
Physical activity
Change in physical activity levels measured with accelerometer (actigraph)
Time frame: Measured continuously for 24 hours for 3 days in week 1,week 5, week 6, week 10.
24 hour blood glucose
Changes in 24 hour blood glucose levels measured with a continuous glucose monitor
Time frame: Measured continuously for 24 hours for 3 days in week 1,week 5, week 6, week 10.
Plan to share: No
Ran from Oct 2017 to primary completion in Feb 2020, 28 months.
Of 3,680 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Obesity, half reached primary completion within 23 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 43. This study's 28 months is above that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 3,843 studies reached it within 22 months; a quarter within 10 and three quarters within 42.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
This study is completed, as verified in Apr 2020. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.
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