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HealthyNCT07530939

The Relationship Between Satiety Per Calorie (SPC) and Food Intake

A study testing body composition measurements in people with Healthy, run by Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology ,Chinese Academy of Sciences at 1 site in China.

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

With the rapid development of the modern food industry, a large number of processed foods that heavily use refined carbohydrates and fats have emerged. These foods generally lack key components such as protein, fiber, and micronutrients, disrupting the satiety regulation system that humans developed over the course of… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 44 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
Healthy
What is being tested?
body composition measurements
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
40 participants
Where
1 siteChina
Study dates
10 Apr 2026to 31 Jul 2027
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 44 years
  • Men only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Body mass index (BMI) between 18.5 and 28 kg/m2
  • Male
  • 18-44 years old
  • Healthy

Who cannot join

  • No diabetes, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, hypoglycemia, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, mental illnesses, etc.
  • Not being allergic to common foods.
  • No special dietary habits, eating disorders, irregular eating or lifestyle patterns, or smoking and drinking habits.

Trial locations and contacts

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

China1 site, 1 recruiting
  • Shenzhen Institutes of advanced technology

    Shenzhen, Guangdong

    John R Speakman, DSc, 86 15810868669, j.speakman@abdn.ac.uk

    John Speakman, DSc

    Recruiting

Other trials in China

About this study

With the rapid development of the modern food industry, a large number of processed foods that heavily use refined carbohydrates and fats have emerged. These foods generally lack key components such as protein, fiber, and micronutrients, disrupting the satiety regulation system that humans developed over the course of evolution. As a result, the satiety signals provided by food are significantly mismatched with their energy content, forcing people to consume more calories to meet their basic nutritional and satiety needs. Since these processed foods are also more palatable, they further promote voluntary overeating. The 2025 World Obesity Report points out that obesity has become a global issue, and it is estimated that by 2030, over 2.9 billion adults worldwide will have a body mass index (BMI) above the normal range. The proportion of people with high BMI in China is rising and is expected to reach 5.1504 million by 2030.

A new concept, Satiety Per Calorie (SPC), rates foods based on the strength of the satiety signals they generate per unit of energy. Foods with high SPC values can help people naturally reduce calorie intake while staying full; in contrast, high-calorie-dense foods like fried foods and desserts are more likely to lead to unconscious overeating. A recent animal study published in Nature Metabolism indicates that neurons in the hippocampus record the sensory experience of high-calorie foods and can trigger strong eating desires even when not hungry, leading to overconsumption. Additionally, behaviors such as eating slower and reducing external distractions during meals can enhance the perception of satiety signals and lower the risk of overeating. Evidence from a review shows that slowing down eating can reduce calorie intake. Overall, the concept of SPC helps improve modern dietary structures and provides new ideas for controlling the prevalence of obesity. However, this concept still needs further experimental validation. This study will recruit 40 male volunteers with a BMI between 18.5-28 kg/m² and aged 18-44 years, to investigate the relationship between satiety per calorie and food intake.

Read the detailed description

This study plans to recruit 40 male volunteers in Shenzhen with a body mass index (BMI) between 18.5-28 kg/m² and aged 18-44 years. The recruitment criteria include being in good health without underlying diseases and conditions such as diabetes, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal disorders, hypoglycemia, cardiovascular or cerebrovascular diseases, mental illnesses, etc., not being allergic to common foods, and having no special dietary habits, eating disorders, irregular eating or lifestyle patterns, or smoking and drinking habits. Volunteer recruitment and screening will continue until the number of participants is sufficient, using standard methods such as posters and online resources. During recruitment, participants will be informed of the research plan and the potential risks to them. If they agree to participate, they will sign an informed consent form in accordance with the guidelines established by the Ethics Review Committee.

During participant recruitment for this study, we will ask potential volunteers to complete a questionnaire to screen for eligible participants based on the criteria mentioned above. The experiment starts at 9:00 in the morning and ends around 6:00 in the evening. The specific schedule is as follows: volunteers must fast and not have breakfast. At 9:00 a.m., they will arrive at the laboratory to measure blood glucose and have a self-assessment on the level of hunger. Then, body composition measurements will be conducted, including body composition analysis using TANITA, bone density scan using DXA, body composition assessment using BODPOD, and 3D scan. During the testing period, participants need to self-assess their hunger level every half hour. The specific test procedures and instrument models will be described in detail below.

At 11 a.m., volunteers will enter the metabolic chamber. Half an hour later, the measurement of resting energy expenditure will begin. At 12 p.m., five types of food will be provided to the volunteers for lunch, and the measurement of the thermic effect of food will begin at the same time. The food will be weighed and recorded both before being brought into the chamber and after the volunteers have finished eating. The grouping of volunteers will be described in detail below. From finishing lunch until leaving the chamber at 5 p.m., volunteers need to self-assess their hunger level every half hour. After that, volunteers will have dinner in the cafeteria, and the food for dinner will also be weighed and recorded before and after eating.

Body Composition Measurements:

The body composition of participants will be measured using a body composition analyzer (TANITA- MC980). This device provides separate weight readings for the right arm, left arm, body, right leg, and left leg. It can also measure complete body composition parameters, including body weight (BW), body fat percentage (fat%), fat mass (FM), BMI, and fat-free mass (FFM).

Bone density will be assessed via DXA (Horizon Wi, HOLOGIC). Participants will be asked to change into lightweight lab clothing, remove all metal accessories, and lie flat on the device as instructed. The device uses a low dose of X-rays to measure bone density and estimate body fat and muscle mass.

Body density will also be measured using the BODPOD (GS-X, COSMED), an air displacement-based device. Participants will be asked to wear a swimsuit and swim cap while seated in the device. This test provides an accurate measurement of body density and estimates body fat content based on density.

Height, waist circumference, hip circumference, and other measurements will be taken using a 3D scanner.

Volunteer Randomization:

Volunteers will be randomly divided into 5 groups, with 8 people in each group. Each group of volunteers will be provided with 5 types of food for lunch, determined according to the SPC values.

Group 1 (SPC 0-20) foods: cookies, French fries, cheese slices, donuts, and croissants, with the French fries purchased from McDonald's and the rest of the food purchased from a supermarket.

Group 2 (SPC 20-40) foods: pizza, burgers, rice, noodles, and hot dogs, with the burgers purchased from McDonald's and the rest from the supermarket.

Group 3 (SPC 40-60) foods: baked potatoes, baked sweet potatoes, apples, fried eggs, and oatmeal, all purchased from the supermarket.

Group 4 (SPC 60-80) foods: salad, carrots, silken tofu, pan-fried chicken, and boiled fish fillets, all purchased from the supermarket.

Group 5 (SPC 80-100) foods: boiled pumpkin, boiled broccoli, cucumbers, tomatoes, and lettuce, all purchased from the supermarket.

Foods that need to be boiled, fried, or baked will be prepared by someone who has cooking qualifications.

Conditions
Healthy
Being tested
body composition measurements
Keywords
food intake, satiety per calorie

What participants receive

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

  • body composition measurementsDiagnostic test

    Body composition measurements will be conducted, including body composition analysis using TANITA, bone density scan using DXA, body composition assessment using BODPOD, and 3D scan.

Study groups in NCT07530939
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
SPC 0-20ExperimentalEach group of volunteers will be provided with five types of food for lunch, which are determined based on the SPC value. The food for the first group (SPC 0-20) includes cookies, French fries, cheese slices, doughnuts, and croissants, with the French fries purchased from McDonald's and the rest of the food bought from a supermarket.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: body composition measurements
SPC 20-40ExperimentalFood for Group 2 (SPC 20-40): pizza, hamburgers, rice, noodles, hot dogs. The hamburgers will be purchased from McDonald's, and the rest of the food will be bought from the supermarket.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: body composition measurements
SPC 40-60ExperimentalFoods for the third group (SPC 40-60): baked potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, apples, fried eggs, and oatmeal. All of these foods will be purchased from the supermarket.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: body composition measurements
SPC 60-80ExperimentalFoods for Group 4 (SPC 60-80): salad, carrots, silken tofu, pan-fried chicken, and boiled fish fillets. These foods will all be purchased from the supermarket.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: body composition measurements
SPC 80-100ExperimentalFoods for Group 5 (SPC 80-100): boiled pumpkin, boiled broccoli, cucumber, tomato, lettuce; all of these foods will be purchased from the supermarket.
Receives: Diagnostic Test: body composition measurements

What is being measured

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

  1. Food intake

    Food intake will be quantified by weighing all food items provided to the participant before consumption and weighing any remaining food after the meal. Total intake (in grams) will be calculated as the difference between the pre- and post-consumption weights.

    Measured: Day 1 (assessed at lunch and dinner)

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Resting energy expenditure

    Resting energy expenditure (kcal/day) will be measured by indirect calorimetry. At 11:00 a.m., participants will enter the metabolic chamber. After a 30-minute acclimation period, measurements will be taken while the participant lies supine and awake for 30 minutes.

    Measured: Day 1 (11:30 a.m.)

  2. Thermic effect of food

    Thermic effect of food will be assessed as the postprandial increase in energy expenditure measured by indirect calorimetry. Participants will consume a standardized lunch beginning at 12:00 p.m., and energy expenditure will be measured continuously until 5:00 p.m. or until a stable postprandial plateau is observed. The primary metric will be the area under the curve (AUC) for energy expenditure above baseline.

    Measured: Day 1, from 12:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Timeline

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

  1. First posted15 Apr 2026
  2. Study start10 Apr 2026
  3. Primary completion31 May 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Jul 2027 (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
Other
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
40 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07530939
Sponsor's protocol ID
SIAT-IRB-260115-H1053
Other IDs
SIAT-IRB-260115-H1053
Status last verified
Apr 2026
First submitted
9 Mar 2026
Last updated
30 Sep 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No

Publications

  • Robinson E, Almiron-Roig E, Rutters F, de Graaf C, Forde CG, Tudur Smith C, Nolan SJ, Jebb SA. A systematic review and meta-analysis examining the effect of eating rate on energy intake and hunger. Am J Clin Nutr. 2014 Jul;100(1):123-51. doi: 10.3945/ajcn.113.081745. Epub 2014 May 21.

    PubMed 24847856
  • Yang M, Singh A, de Araujo A, McDougle M, Ellis H, Decarie-Spain L, Kanoski SE, de Lartigue G. Separate orexigenic hippocampal ensembles shape dietary choice by enhancing contextual memory and motivation. Nat Metab. 2025 Feb;7(2):276-296. doi: 10.1038/s42255-024-01194-6. Epub 2025 Jan 15.

    PubMed 39815079
  • World Obesity Federation. (2025). World Obesity Atlas 2025 (World Obesity Atlas 1). World Obesity Federation. https://data.worldobesity.org/publications/?cat=23[citation:2]

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing body composition measurements in people with Healthy, run by Shenzhen Institutes of Advanced Technology ,Chinese Academy of Sciences at 1 site in China.

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 4 inclusion and 3 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 30 Sep 2026. 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 China. 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?

Each site lists its own contact: choose the nearest one under Trial locations. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Food intake (time frame: Day 1 (assessed at lunch and dinner)). 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 NCT07530939, which also lists 3 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 30 Sep 2026.

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