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Food CravingsNCT07106398

The Effectiveness of rTMS on Improving Food Craving and Weight Control in Adults Without Serious Mental Illness

A study testing repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in people with Food Cravings and rTMS, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

Recruiting

Looking for participants now. Contact the study team or a site below to ask about taking part.

Sites and contacts
Official record
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Trial summary

Department of Psychiatry | Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine The University of Hong Kong The Effectiveness of rTMS on Improving Food Cravings and Weight Control in Adults without Serious Mental Illness Introduction The investigators would like to invite participants to participate in an observational study on the… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 65 years
Conditions the study is for
Food Cravings, rTMS
What is being tested?
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Type of treatment
Medical device
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
30 participants
Where
1 siteHong Kong
Study dates
4 Jul 2025to 27 Jun 2028
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Healthy adults
  • Aged between 18-65
  • Self-reported food craving or weight control issues

Who cannot join

  • People with serious mental illness
  • Severe neurological conditions
  • Contraindications for rTMS
  • People on weight-reduction medications

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Pak Wing Cheng contact

85290169487

chengpsy@hku.hk

Hong Kong1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Sassoon Road Campus, HKU

    Hong Kong, Pok Fu Lam

    Pak Wing Cheng, 85290169487, chengpsy@hku.hk

    Pak Wing Cheng

    Recruiting

Other trials in Hong Kong

About this study

Department of Psychiatry | Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine

The University of Hong Kong

Read more

The Effectiveness of rTMS on Improving Food Cravings and Weight Control

in Adults without Serious Mental Illness

Introduction

The investigators would like to invite participants to participate in an observational study on the efficacy of using magnetic fields to improve food cravings and weight control in adults without serious mental illness.

The research leader is Dr. Cheng Pak Wing, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Queen Mary Hospital/HKU Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine.

Please read the following information carefully. If necessary, participants can discuss it with relatives, friends or doctors. If anything is unclear, or if participants would like more information, please ask us. Please carefully consider whether participants are willing to participate in this research.

Research Purpose

Food cravings are a common experience that can significantly impact an individual's mental and physical health. These intense desires for specific foods often lead to overconsumption of unhealthy foods, contributing to obesity, poor nutritional intake, and associated health conditions. Understanding the neural mechanisms behind food cravings is crucial for developing effective interventions to manage them.

rTMS is a non-invasive brain stimulation technique that uses magnetic fields to modulate neural activity in targeted brain regions. Over the years, rTMS has shown promise in treating various mental health conditions, including depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and eating disorders.

Research Methods

Participants

Healthy adults aged 18-65 with self-reported food cravings or weight control issues.

Treatment protocol

Six sessions of rTMS using the EXOMIND™ device, administered once or twice a week.

Each session will deliver 6,300 pulses at alternating frequencies of 12, 15, and 18 Hz, with a total duration of 24 minutes and 30 seconds.

The target site would be left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), determined by the most common used 5-cm rule. The procedure would be conducted in the research centre with medical staff supported.

A checklist of potential adverse effects from TMS administration will be referenced from existing literature to monitor tolerability and adverse events during each session. Blood pressure and heart rate will be recorded at the beginning and end of each session.

Assessment

Participants will be assessed at three time points: baseline (pre-intervention), post-intervention, and four weeks post-intervention.

Assessments: Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), and BMI.

Demographics: Age, gender, years of education, place of birth, marital status, number of children, financial condition, household income, family history of eating problems will be collected upon study entry. Medical history in relation to mental illnesses and medications will also be assessed.

Read the detailed description

Risks of Participation

Participants may experience mild discomfort from brain stimulation treatment. A small percentage of users may experience dizziness, headache, or nausea. The side effects of brain pulse stimulation therapy are short-lived and are not known to cause any permanent damage. If participants feel unwell after completing the brain pulse stimulation treatment, please inform the staff and therapist.

Note: Patients who have had metal implants in the head, neck, or upper back, or who have had metal teeth/dental trays or pacemakers, should not receive brain stimulation.

Benefits of Participation

The investigators sincerely invite participants to participate in this study. The valuable information participants provide will help us understand the effect of using magnetic fields to improve food cravings or weight control issues in adults. All procedures involved in the study are provided free of charge.

Voluntary Participation

Participation in our research is entirely voluntary, and participants have the right to withdraw from research at any time. Participants' decision to participate in or withdraw from the study will not affect participants' existing treatment or services. The information participants provide will be kept strictly confidential and all information will be used for research purposes only.

Financial Costs

Participants will not be charged for the service. Study article will not be continued to be available to subjects after the study until it is commercially available.

Confidentiality of Information

Any information about participants obtained during the research process will be kept strictly confidential. Personal data will be kept for 5 years after completion of study and publications, and will be destroyed after completion of publications. Any information about participants that is released outside the hospital (e.g. in scientific literature or reports) will not have personally identifiable information about participants. Each study participant has the right to access their personal data and publicly reported study results if required, and participants' contact details will be reserved for future follow-up studies.

Under the laws of Hong Kong (especially the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance, Cap. 486), participants have the right to keep participants' personal data confidential, such as the collection of personal data in or in connection with this research, safeguard, retain, manage, control, use (analyse or compare), transfer within or outside Hong Kong, non-disclosure, erasure and/or deal within any way. If participants have any questions, participants can consult the Office of the Privacy Commissioner for Personal Data or call its office (telephone number: 2827 2827) to properly supervise or monitor the protection of participants' personal data so that participants are fully aware and aware of ensuring compliance with the law to protect private data meaning.

By agreeing to participate in this study, participants expressly authorize:

To oversee this study, authorize the principal investigator and his research team and the Institutional Review Board of the University of Hong Kong / Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster to obtain, use and retain participants in the manner specified in this study and this informed consent, and

Authorize relevant government agencies (such as the Hong Kong Department of Health) to obtain participants' personal data to check and verify the integrity of the research data and assess the consistency of the research agreement with the relevant requirements.

Enquiries

This study has been reviewed and approved by the Institutional Review Board of the University of Hong Kong/ Hospital Authority Hong Kong West Cluster. If participants are willing to participate in the research, please sign the enclosed informed consent form and keep this fact sheet for reference.

The study was coordinated by Dr. Cheng Pak Wing, Assistant Professor, Department of Psychiatry, Faculty of Medicine, The University of Hong Kong.

Conditions
Food Cravings, rTMS
Being tested
repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation
Keywords
rtms, food cravings, healthy adults

What participants receive

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

  • repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulationDevice

    Six sessions of rTMS using the EXOMIND™ device, administered once or twice a week.

    Each session will deliver 6,300 pulses at alternating frequencies of 12, 15, and 18 Hz, with a total duration of 24 minutes and 30 seconds.

    The target site would be left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), determined by the most common used 5-cm rule. The procedure would be conducted in the research centre with medical staff supported.

Study groups in NCT07106398
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
healthy adultsExperimentalHealthy adults aged 18-65 Self-reported food craving or weight control issues
Receives: Device: repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation

What is being measured

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

  1. Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T)

    Using Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T) to measure level of food cravings.

    The questionnaire consists of 23 questions, participants are required to rate the frequency of each statement with a 6-likert scale. By summing up the scores of the scles, higher scores represent higher level of food cravings.

    Measured: Baseline: 1-week before rTMS intervention starts Post-intervention: 1-week after the last session of rTMS intervention 4-week post-intervention: 4-week after the last session of rTMS intervention

Secondary outcomes (3)
  1. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS)

    Using perceived stress scale (PSS) to evaluate perceived stress levels.

    First, reverse the scores for questions 4, 5, 7, and 8. On these 4 questions, change the scores like this: 0 = 4, 1 = 3, 2 = 2, 3 = 1, 4 = 0.

    Now add up the scores for each item to get a total. The total score is ___________.

    Individual scores on the PSS can range from 0 to 40 with higher scores indicating higher perceived stress.

    • Scores ranging from 0-13 would be considered low stress.
    • Scores ranging from 14-26 would be considered moderate stress.
    • Scores ranging from 27-40 would be considered high perceived stress

    Measured: Baseline: 1-week before rTMS intervention starts Post-intervention: 1-week immediately after the last session of rTMS intervention 4-week post-intervention: 4-week after the last session of rTMS intervention

  2. Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9)

    Using Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) to assess depressive symptoms

    Scoring: add up all checked boxes on PHQ-9 (For every 3 Not at all = 0; Several days = 1; More than half the days = 2; Nearly every day = 3)

    Interpretation of Total Score: Total Score Depression Severity 1-4: Minimal depression 5-9: Mild depression 10-14: Moderate depression 15-19: Moderately severe depression 20-27: Severe depression

    Measured: Baseline: 1-week before rTMS intervention starts Post-intervention: 1-week immediately after the last session of rTMS intervention 4-week post-intervention: 4-week after the last session of rTMS intervention

  3. BMI

    Using BMI to measure the objective weight changes in between pre and post intervention.

    To calculate Body Mass Index (BMI), divide participants' weight in kilograms by the square of participants' height in meters

    Measured: Baseline: the day the rTMS intervention starts Post-intervention: the day the last session rTMS intervention

Timeline

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

  1. First posted6 Aug 2025
  2. Study start4 Jul 2025
  3. Primary completion27 Jun 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion27 Jun 2028 (estimated)

Resources

More details

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

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Not applicable
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
None (open label)
Enrolment
30 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07106398
Sponsor's protocol ID
UW 25-282
Status last verified
Aug 2025
First submitted
21 Jul 2025
Last updated
11 Aug 2025
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: protecting participant data

Publications

  • Dalton B, Maloney E, Rennalls SJ, Bartholdy S, Kekic M, McClelland J, Campbell IC, Schmidt U, O'Daly OG. A pilot study exploring the effect of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment on cerebral blood flow and its relation to clinical outcomes in severe enduring anorexia nervosa. J Eat Disord. 2021 Jul 9;9(1):84. doi: 10.1186/s40337-021-00420-w.

    PubMed 34243816
  • Fitzsimmons SMDD, van der Werf YD, van Campen AD, Arns M, Sack AT, Hoogendoorn AW; other members of the TETRO Consortium; van den Heuvel OA. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation for obsessive-compulsive disorder: A systematic review and pairwise/network meta-analysis. J Affect Disord. 2022 Apr 1;302:302-312. doi: 10.1016/j.jad.2022.01.048. Epub 2022 Jan 15.

    PubMed 35041869
  • Voineskos D, Blumberger DM, Rogasch NC, Zomorrodi R, Farzan F, Foussias G, Rajji TK, Daskalakis ZJ. Neurophysiological effects of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in treatment resistant depression. Clin Neurophysiol. 2021 Sep;132(9):2306-2316. doi: 10.1016/j.clinph.2021.05.008. Epub 2021 Jun 1.

    PubMed 34167891
  • Sabe M, Hyde J, Cramer C, Eberhard A, Crippa A, Brunoni AR, Aleman A, Kaiser S, Baldwin DS, Garner M, Sentissi O, Fiedorowicz JG, Brandt V, Cortese S, Solmi M. Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation and Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation Across Mental Disorders: A Systematic Review and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis. JAMA Netw Open. 2024 May 1;7(5):e2412616. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2024.12616.

    PubMed 38776083

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in people with Food Cravings and rTMS, run by The University of Hong Kong at 1 site in Hong Kong.

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 3 inclusion and 4 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: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 11 Aug 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in Hong Kong. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

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?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

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

Contact Pak Wing Cheng (85290169487, chengpsy@hku.hk), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Food Cravings Questionnaire-Trait (FCQ-T) (time frame: Baseline: 1-week before rTMS intervention starts Post-intervention: 1-week after the last session of rTMS intervention 4-week post-intervention: 4-week after the last session of rTMS intervention). 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 NCT07106398, which also lists 4 linked publications.

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 11 Aug 2025.

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