Anorexia NervosaNCT07692945
Biasing Food Value Construction
A study testing Training food attributes in people with Anorexia Nervosa, run by University of Chicago at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether food value construction can be biased in individuals with anorexia nervosa. The main question it aims to answer is: Can a simple training task increase the importance of relevant food attributes such that subsequent choices about what to eat in individuals with… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 45 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Anorexia Nervosa
- What is being tested?
- Training food attributes
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 150 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 1 Sep 2026to 31 Jul 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 16 to 45 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- aged 16-35 years
- male or female
- able to read and speak English
Who cannot join
- history of concussion or neurological disease
- full scale IQ estimate < 80;
- taking medication that has been shown to affect attention or learning (i.e., second generation antipsychotics, memantine, methylphenidate, or modafinil)
- current psychosis, bipolar disorder, or substance dependence
- body mass index < 14
- vital sign or laboratory abnormalities indicating medical instability
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
United States1 site
The University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois, 60637
Akram Bakkour, 773-702-9574, bakkour@uchicago.edu
Akram Bakkour
About this study
Official title: Constructing the Subjective Value of Food in Anorexia Nervosa
The goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether food value construction can be biased in individuals with anorexia nervosa. The main question it aims to answer is:
Can a simple training task increase the importance of relevant food attributes such that subsequent choices about what to eat in individuals with anorexia nervosa will look more like those of healthy eaters?
Participants will undergo a simple training paradigm where they view food items and focus on different attributes (e.g., its tastiness or healthiness). Participants will then be asked to make decisions about what foods they'd like to eat.
- Conditions
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Being tested
- Training food attributes
- Medical subject headings
- Anorexia Nervosa
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Training food attributesBehavioural
Participants will view images of foods and asked to focus on different attributes of the food (e.g., its healthiness or tastiness)
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Anorexia Nervosa | Experimental | Participants in this group will meet diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. Receives: Behavioral: Training food attributes |
| Healthy Control | Experimental | Participants in this group will not meet diagnostic criteria for any psychiatric illness. Receives: Behavioral: Training food attributes |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Decision Weight for Tastiness vs. Healthiness Attributes in Food Choice
Food choice will be assessed using a binary choice task in which participants choose between pairs of food items that vary on healthiness, tastiness, savoriness, and overall preference. Choice data will be modeled using mixed-effects logistic regression, with delta-healthiness (difference in healthiness rating between paired items) and delta-tastiness (difference in tastiness rating) entered as predictors of choice. The parameter of interest is the regression coefficient (beta weight) for delta-tastiness relative to delta-healthiness, reflecting the degree to which choice is driven by tastiness versus healthiness attributes. We predict that tastiness beta weight will increase pre- to post-training in patients with AN.
Measured: Immediately prior to and immediately following the training session (pre- and post-assessments, approximately 1 hour apart on the same day)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted9 Jul 2026
- Study start1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion1 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion31 Jul 2028 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Anorexia NervosaStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of ChicagoThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Chicago
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07692945
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB23-1659
- Other IDs
- R01MH132792
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 26 Jun 2026
- Last updated
- 9 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Constructing the Subjective Value of Food in Anorexia Nervosa
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07692945
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB23-1659
- Conditions
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- University of ChicagoUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Study start
- 1 Sep 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jun 2028 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 31 Jul 2028 (estimated)
- First posted
- 9 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The goal of this clinical trial is to examine whether food value construction can be biased in individuals with anorexia nervosa. The main question it aims to answer is:
Can a simple training task increase the importance of relevant food attributes such that subsequent choices about what to eat in individuals with anorexia nervosa will look more like those of healthy eaters?
Participants will undergo a simple training paradigm where they view food items and focus on different attributes (e.g., its tastiness or healthiness). Participants will then be asked to make decisions about what foods they'd like to eat.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Non-randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Anorexia Nervosa | Experimental | Behavioral: Training food attributesParticipants in this group will meet diagnostic criteria for anorexia nervosa. |
| Healthy Control | Experimental | Behavioral: Training food attributesParticipants in this group will not meet diagnostic criteria for any psychiatric illness. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 to 45 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- aged 16-35 years
- male or female
- able to read and speak English
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- history of concussion or neurological disease
- full scale IQ estimate < 80;
- taking medication that has been shown to affect attention or learning (i.e., second generation antipsychotics, memantine, methylphenidate, or modafinil)
- current psychosis, bipolar disorder, or substance dependence
- body mass index < 14
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Training food attributesParticipants will view images of foods and asked to focus on different attributes of the food (e.g., its healthiness or tastiness) | Behavioural | Anorexia Nervosa, Healthy Control |
Primary outcome
Change in Decision Weight for Tastiness vs. Healthiness Attributes in Food Choice
Time frame: Immediately prior to and immediately following the training session (pre- and post-assessments, approximately 1 hour apart on the same day)
Food choice will be assessed using a binary choice task in which participants choose between pairs of food items that vary on healthiness, tastiness, savoriness, and overall preference. Choice data will be modeled using mixed-effects logistic regression, with delta-healthiness (difference in healthiness rating between paired items) and delta-tastiness (difference in tastiness rating) entered as predictors of choice. The parameter of interest is the regression coefficient (beta weight) for delta-tastiness relative to delta-healthiness, reflecting the degree to which choice is driven by tastiness versus healthiness attributes. We predict that tastiness beta weight will increase pre- to post-training in patients with AN.
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Training food attributes in people with Anorexia Nervosa, run by University of Chicago at 1 site in United States.
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 6 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Jul 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 United States. 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 Akram Bakkour (773-702-9574, bakkour@uchicago.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in Decision Weight for Tastiness vs. Healthiness Attributes in Food Choice (time frame: Immediately prior to and immediately following the training session (pre- and post-assessments, approximately 1 hour apart on the same day)). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 9 Jul 2026.