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Healthy ParticipantsSMARTEATS-PPNCT07776418

Satiety, Microbiome, Appetite Regulation, and Tracking Energy Across Targeted Snacks: Acute Postprandial Study

A study testing High-fibre plant-based snack bar in people with Healthy Participants and Healthy Adult Subject, run by Zoe Global Limited at 1 site in United Kingdom.

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

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how eating different snack foods affects acute hunger, energy intake and eating behaviour in healthy adults. The study will be conducted remotely over 5 days. The main questions it aims to answer are: 1. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 35 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
High-fibre plant-based snack bar
Could I receive a placebo?
Yes, some participants may receive a placebo
How many people
54 participants
Where
1 siteUnited Kingdom
Study dates
14 Aug 2026to 31 Oct 2026
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 35 to 65 years
  • All sexes
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Willing and able to follow the study protocol
  • Willing and able to provide informed consent
  • Regular consumption of snacks (≥2 per day)
  • Fibre intake <20 g/d
  • Living in the UK

Who cannot join

  • Have BMI of less than 18.5 kg/m² or more than 40 kg/m²
  • Have an allergy or intolerance to ingredients in the intervention or control snack bars (including inulin) or cannot eat the food products safely and comfortably for any reason
  • Have a personal medical history of inflammatory bowel disease, coeliac disease, Crohn's disease, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic constipation, or chronic diarrhoea
  • Have started a new supplement in the past month, or are unwilling to maintain current supplement use throughout the study
  • Previously purchased any ZOE products (including Daily30, ZOE gut health bar or ZOE app membership).
  • Have taken any medication or product that may modify the measured study outcomes, in the past 3 months (including but not limited to: fibre supplements, antibiotics, non-topical steroids or other immunosuppressive medicines, probiotics or prebiotics, metformin, GLP-1 receptor agonists, lipid-lowering medications such as fibrates, statins, PCSK9 inhibitors, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs)
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  • Have used opiate pain medication or a proton pump inhibitor for 8 or more consecutive days during the past 3 months
  • Have experienced a heart attack, stroke or major surgery in the last 2 months
  • Have received treatment for cancer in the last 3 months
  • Are currently pregnant, breastfeeding or planning a pregnancy
  • Are diagnosed with an eating disorder, type 1 diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes mellitus

Trial locations and contacts

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

United Kingdom1 site, 1 recruiting
  • ZOE limited

    London

    Study Co-ordinator, +44 (0)330 818 8669, smarteats-trial@joinzoe.com

    Recruiting

Other trials in United Kingdom

About this study

Official title: The ZOE SMART EATS (Satiety, Microbiome, Appetite Regulation, and Tracking Energy Across Targeted Snacks) Acute Postprandial Study: Investigating the Acute Effects of a High-fibre Plant-based Snack Bar on Subjective Postprandial Hunger, Energy Intake and Eating Behaviour in Healthy UK Adults.

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn how eating different snack foods affects acute hunger, energy intake and eating behaviour in healthy adults. The study will be conducted remotely over 5 days.

The main questions it aims to answer are:

Read more
  1. Does eating a snack bar intervention change how hungry participants feel later in the same day?
  2. Does eating a snack bar intervention change participants' energy intake, nutrient intake and eating behaviour on the same day?
  3. Does eating a snack bar intervention change participants mood, energy levels and alertness later in the same day?

Researchers will compare an intervention snack bar to a control snack bar to see if the intervention improves hunger, energy intake, eating behaviour, and other subjective measures.

Participants will:

  • Eat 2 snack bars for breakfast on 2 separate days, with 2 days in between
  • Not eat anything after 9pm the night before each test day
  • Fill out short online surveys (under 5 minutes) before breakfast and at set times over the next 3 hours
  • Not eat for 3 hours after breakfast
  • Write down everything they eat that day
Read the detailed description

Diet, and snacking behaviour in particular, plays an important role in long-term health. Snacking now contributes substantially to daily energy intake in the UK and US: data from the ZOE PREDICT study show that 95% of adults snack at least once a day, with snacks accounting for around a quarter of daily energy intake (2.28 snacks/day). However, the average UK snack has a poor nutrient profile, high in refined carbohydrates, added sugars, and saturated fat, and low in fibre and micronutrients, a pattern linked to poorer cardiometabolic health. Despite public health guidance to consume at least 30g of fibre a day, UK adults consume an average of around 20g/day. However, the composition and timing of a snack are important determinants of its effects on hunger, energy, and other health markers.

This trial evaluates an intervention (2 x snack bars) against a control (2 x snack bars that reflect the average nutrient profile of snacks currently sold in the UK). Using a control snack bar means any effects observed can be attributed to the specific formulation of the intervention snack bar, rather than simply to a change in snacking habits or a reduction in overall snack consumption.

The primary aim of the study is to determine whether the intervention snack bars reduce subjective postprandial hunger (in the hours after eating them), compared with control snack bars broadly representative of the average UK snack nutrient profile. The study will be conducted in 2 phases. In this phase (phase 1; acute postprandial study), 54 participants will complete a crossover postprandial study measuring hunger, satiety, mood, energy, and alertness over 3 hours, and as an end of day measure following consumption of the intervention or control; as well as eating behaviour and subsequent energy and nutrient intake on that day. The postprandial design allows the acute, within-day effects of the intervention snack bars to be assessed under tightly controlled conditions.

Being tested
High-fibre plant-based snack bar, Control snack bars
Keywords
Snacks, Snack foods, Dietary intervention, Hunger, Health, Wellbeing, Nutrition study

What participants receive

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

  • High-fibre plant-based snack barOther

    A high-fibre plant-based snack bar.

  • Control snack barsOther

    Commercially available snack bars (UK); reflects the energy and macronutrient profile of a typical UK snack.

Study groups in NCT07776418
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
InterventionExperimentalBreakfast test meal consisting of 2 x intervention snack bars
Receives: Other: High-fibre plant-based snack bar
ControlPlacebo comparatorBreakfast test meal consisting of 2 x control snack bars
Receives: Other: Control snack bars

What is being measured

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

  1. Postprandial hunger

    Assessed using digital visual analogue scales (VAS; 0-100) with anchor points 0 = 'not at all hungry', 100 = 'extremely hungry'. Completed at pre-specified time points immediately before and during a 3h post-meal fast.

    Measured: Within 3 hours post-test meal consumption.

Secondary outcomes (5)
  1. Postprandial satiety

    Subjective postprandial satiety ratings, assessed using digital visual analogue scales (VAS; 0-100), with anchor points 0 = 'not at all', 100 = 'extremely'. Completed at pre-specified time points immediately before and during a 3h post-meal fast.

    Measured: Within 3 hours post-test meal consumption.

  2. Postprandial mood and energy

    Subjective postprandial ratings of mood and energy, assessed using digital visual analogue scales (VAS; 0-100), with anchor points 0 = 'not at all', 100 = 'extremely'. Completed at pre-specified time points immediately before and during a 3h post-meal fast.

    Measured: Within 3 hours post-test meal consumption.

  3. Eating rate

    Self-reported eating rate (g/min) of the intervention and control test meals. Derived from the amount of food consumed (g) and self-reported eating duration (mins)

    Measured: Duration of test meal consumption (day 1, day 4).

  4. Time to next meal

    Self-reported time to next meal (mins) following the test meals.

    Measured: Anticipated 3-6 hours post-test meal consumption (day 1, day 4).

  5. Energy and nutrient intake

    Energy (kcal) and nutrient intake (g; %EI) following the test meals. Assessed using digital food log (myFood24).

    Measured: Post-3 hour fast to midnight (day 1, day 4).

Timeline

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

  1. First posted20 Aug 2026
  2. Study start14 Aug 2026
  3. Primary completion30 Oct 2026 (estimated)
  4. Study completion31 Oct 2026 (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
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Crossover
Model description
An acute crossover postprandial test-meal challenge
Masking
Double blind
Who is masked
Participant, Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
54 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07776418
Sponsor's protocol ID
ZOE SMART EATS - Postprandial
Acronym
SMARTEATS-PP
Status last verified
Oct 2026
First submitted
13 Aug 2026
Last updated
7 Oct 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Yes: To protect participant privacy, individual participant clinical data and any data that could be used to identify individuals will not be publicly available and cannot be deposited in public repositories. In line with journal requirements, data underlying the results in the publication may be made available to bona fide researchers for reproducibility of results. Proposals, researchers or institutions requesting data will be approved if they meet the standard criteria related to ethics, privacy and data protection regulations.

Publications

  • Brown R, Ware L, Gray AR, Chisholm A, Tey SL. Snacking on Almonds Lowers Glycaemia and Energy Intake Compared to a Popular High-Carbohydrate Snack Food: An Acute Randomised Crossover Study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021 Oct 19;18(20):10989. doi: 10.3390/ijerph182010989.

    PubMed 34682735
  • Kikuchi H, Yoshiuchi K, Inada S, Ando T, Yamamoto Y. Development of an ecological momentary assessment scale for appetite. Biopsychosoc Med. 2015 Jan 15;9(1):2. doi: 10.1186/s13030-014-0029-6. eCollection 2015.

    PubMed 25614760
  • Scheer FA, Morris CJ, Shea SA. The internal circadian clock increases hunger and appetite in the evening independent of food intake and other behaviors. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2013 Mar;21(3):421-3. doi: 10.1002/oby.20351.

    PubMed 23456944
  • Beaulieu K, Oustric P, Alkahtani S, Alhussain M, Pedersen H, Quist JS, Faerch K, Finlayson G. Impact of Meal Timing and Chronotype on Food Reward and Appetite Control in Young Adults. Nutrients. 2020 May 22;12(5):1506. doi: 10.3390/nu12051506.

    PubMed 32455860
  • Cheon E, Mattes RD. Interindividual variability in appetitive sensations and relationships between appetitive sensations and energy intake. Int J Obes (Lond). 2024 Apr;48(4):477-485. doi: 10.1038/s41366-023-01436-9. Epub 2023 Dec 22.

    PubMed 38135701
  • Elsworth RL, Hinton EC, Flynn AN, Merrell LH, Hamilton-Shield JP, Lawrence NS, Brunstrom JM. Development of Momentary Appetite Capture (MAC): A versatile tool for monitoring appetite over long periods. Appetite. 2024 Mar 1;194:107154. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2023.107154. Epub 2023 Dec 9.

    PubMed 38081544
  • Zhu Y, Blundell JE, Holschuh NM, McLean R, Menon RS. Validation of a Mobile App-Based Visual Analog Scale for Appetite Measurement in the Real World: A Randomized Digital Clinical Trial. Nutrients. 2023 Jan 7;15(2):304. doi: 10.3390/nu15020304.

    PubMed 36678176
  • Flint A, Raben A, Blundell JE, Astrup A. Reproducibility, power and validity of visual analogue scales in assessment of appetite sensations in single test meal studies. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2000 Jan;24(1):38-48. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0801083.

    PubMed 10702749
  • Godwin N, Roberts T, Hooshmand S, Kern M, Hong MY. Mixed Nuts May Promote Satiety While Maintaining Stable Blood Glucose and Insulin in Healthy, Obese, and Overweight Adults in a Two-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Food. 2019 Apr;22(4):427-432. doi: 10.1089/jmf.2018.0127. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

    PubMed 30897012
  • Bermingham KM, May A, Asnicar F, Capdevila J, Leeming ER, Franks PW, Valdes AM, Wolf J, Hadjigeorgiou G, Delahanty LM, Segata N, Spector TD, Berry SE. Snack quality and snack timing are associated with cardiometabolic blood markers: the ZOE PREDICT study. Eur J Nutr. 2024 Feb;63(1):121-133. doi: 10.1007/s00394-023-03241-6. Epub 2023 Sep 15.

    PubMed 37709944

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing High-fibre plant-based snack bar in people with Healthy Participants and Healthy Adult Subject, run by Zoe Global Limited at 1 site in United Kingdom.

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 5 inclusion and 11 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 7 Oct 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 Kingdom. 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. Some participants in this study may receive a placebo. 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 Study Co-ordinator (+44 (0)330 818 8669, smarteats-trial@joinzoe.com), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Postprandial hunger (time frame: Within 3 hours post-test meal consumption.). 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 NCT07776418, which also lists 10 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 7 Oct 2026.

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