An interventional study of Snack Type 1: Walnuts and Snack Type 2: Pretzels in Overweight/Obesity, sponsored by University of Colorado, Denver. Recruiting at 1 site in United States. Open to participants aged 25 Years to 45 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-03-23.
Sponsored by University of Colorado, Denver · Not applicable, Interventional, and Other
This study plans to learn more about how different types of snacks may affect brain processes relating to eating behaviors during a diet intervention.
Exclusion Criteria:
Participants will complete a 12 week diet intervention, during which they will be asked to reduce their daily caloric intake. During the diet intervention, participants in the Snack Type 1 group will be asked to eat a daily snack of walnuts, which will be provided by the study team. Participants will meet with study staff on a weekly basis during the intervention (with some meetings virtual and in-person visits every 2-3 weeks).
Other: Snack Type 1: Walnuts
Participants will complete a 12 week diet intervention, during which they will be asked to reduce their daily caloric intake. During the diet intervention, participants in the Snack Type 2 group will be asked to eat a daily snack of pretzels, which will be provided by the study team. Participants will meet with study staff on a weekly basis during the intervention (with some meetings virtual and in-person visits every 2-3 weeks).
Other: Snack Type 2: Pretzels
Participants will complete a 12 week diet intervention, during which they will be asked to reduce their daily caloric intake. During the diet intervention, participants in the Snack Type 1 group will be asked to eat a daily snack of walnuts, which will be provided by the study team.
Participants will complete a 12 week diet intervention, during which they will be asked to reduce their daily caloric intake. During the diet intervention, participants in the Snack Type 2 group will be asked to eat a daily snack of pretzels, which will be provided by the study team.
Percent change in Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) response to visual food cues as measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging
Percent change in blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) response from baseline to after the 12-week intervention while viewing visual food cues will be measured using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), focusing on insula, striatum, amygdala, and prefrontal cortex.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in percent body fat
Change in percent body fat from baseline to after the 12-week intervention.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in appetite response to a meal
Change in appetite response to a meal (area under the curve for visual analog scale \[VAS\] ratings of hunger and satiety across fasted and fed states) from baseline to after the 12-week intervention.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in food cravings
Change in food cravings (using the Food Cravings Questionnaire) from baseline to after the 12-week intervention
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in dietary restraint
Change in dietary restraint (measured using the dietary restraint subscale of the Three Factor Eating Questionnaire) from baseline to after the 12-week intervention.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in reward-based eating drive
Change in reward based eating drive (measured using the Reward-Based Eating Drive-13 questionnaire) from baseline to after the 12-week intervention.
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in waist circumference
Change in waist circumference (cm) from baseline to after the 12-week intervention
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Change in body weight
Change in body weight (kg) from baseline to after the 12-week intervention
Time frame: Baseline, 12 weeks
Plan to share: No
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University of Colorado, Denver