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ObesityNCT02099812

Web-based Collection of Data on Obesity and Health Behavior

An observational study of Obesity, run by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

Low socioeconomic status (low SES), as defined by educational attainment and income, has been associated with obesity in industrialized nations. Low SES has been related to impulsive decision-making characterized by steep devaluation of future outcomes (delay discounting, DD) and a greater motivation to obtain food… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Obesity
How many people
1,585 participants
Where
No sites listed yet
Study dates
Dec 2012to Sep 2014
Phase
Observational
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Study population: Amazon Mechanical Turk users

Who may be able to join

  • Be a registered Amazon Mechanical Turk user.

Who cannot join

None listed.

About this study

Low socioeconomic status (low SES), as defined by educational attainment and income, has been associated with obesity in industrialized nations. Low SES has been related to impulsive decision-making characterized by steep devaluation of future outcomes (delay discounting, DD) and a greater motivation to obtain food (food reinforcement, FR). DD and FR have been shown to interactively predict ad libitum energy intake in laboratory studies, such that participants exhibiting high FR as well as high DD consume the most food. Obesity often results from energy intake in excess of physiologic needs, and thus a plausible mechanism is that low SES environments increase FR and DD, leading to overeating and obesity. The primary aims of this study are to determine whether FR and DD interact to predict BMI, and whether differences in FR and DD mediate the relationship between low SES and obesity, in a large sample of US adults of varying BMI. In addition, whether high FR and high DD are related to unhealthy food purchasing and eating behaviors will be assessed. It is anticipated that high FR and DD will be related to unhealthy food purchasing and eating behaviors.

Read the detailed description

In this study potential participants who log in to the Amazon Mechanical Turk website as a worker and who have a HIT approval rate of at least 90% will be allowed to view and participate in the study. If a potential participant agrees to participate in the study by accepting the HIT, the participant will be asked to complete a brief survey (approximately 150 questions; see sample survey in "other supporting documents") and various decision making tasks (e.g., delay discounting assessment, reinforcer valuation assessment etc.). This survey and accompanying tasks will solicit: (a) general demographic information such as gender, age, income, and education; (b) information about their health and health behavior practices, such as eating habits, alcohol and cigarette use; (c) questions about their food preferences and value of foods; (d) information about their valuation of immediate versus distant events/rewards.

Conditions
Obesity
Medical subject headings
Obesity

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Study groups in NCT02099812
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
ObeseObese individuals
Non-obeseNon-obese individuals

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Delay discounting rate

    Degree to which future rewards are devalued

    Measured: 1 hour

  2. Food reinforcement

    Participant's valuation of food items.

    Measured: 1 hour

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted31 Mar 2014 (estimated)
  2. Study startDec 2012
  3. Primary completionJun 2013
  4. Study completionSep 2014

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Observational
Observational model
Cohort
Time perspective
Cross-sectional
Enrolment
1,585 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02099812
Sponsor's protocol ID
VT-12-483
Status last verified
Jan 2025
First submitted
10 Mar 2014
Last updated
24 Jan 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Publications

  • Epstein LH, Jankowiak N, Lin H, Paluch R, Koffarnus MN, Bickel WK. No food for thought: moderating effects of delay discounting and future time perspective on the relation between income and food insecurity. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Sep;100(3):884-90. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.079772. Epub 2014 Jul 9.

    PubMed 25008855

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

An observational study of Obesity, run by Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 0 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 24 Jan 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Delay discounting rate (time frame: 1 hour). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02099812, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 24 Jan 2025.

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