Lowering Caloric Density of the Diet

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: Obesity, Feeding Behavior

In brief

For weight loss to occur, energy intake needs to be reduced to incur an energy deficit. One dietary strategy that may facilitate reducing energy intake and enhancing weight loss is consuming a diet low in dietary energy density (ED). The ED of a given food, defined as the ratio of energy of the food to the weight of the food (kcal/g), is largely determined by water content, but is also affected by fat and fiber. Although the 2010 Dietary Guidelines encourage an eating pattern low in energy density (ED) to manage weight, it is currently not known what the best strategy is for reducing ED in the diet. Eating a greater number of foods low in ED or reducing the number of foods high in ED may reduce overall dietary ED. As ED is believed to reduce intake by allowing a greater weight of food relative to total energy consumed assisting with enhancing feelings of fullness, it is anticipated that either increasing consumption of low-ED foods in the diet alone or combining an increase in consumption of low-ED foods with a decrease in consumption of high-ED foods may be the best strategies for reducing overall dietary ED for weight loss.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT02674971

Run by

The University of Tennessee, Knoxville

People needed

60

Starts

2015-12-01

Expected to finish

2025-12-01

Last updated by the study team

2026-06-09

Who can join

Age: 18 and older, up to 65. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: accepted.

You may qualify if…

• 1) age between 18 and 65 years and 2) a body mass index (BMI)7 between 27 and 45 kg/m2.

You may not qualify if…

• report a heart condition, chest pain during periods of activity or rest, or loss of consciousness on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q)8 (medical conditions that could limit exercise for safety reasons will be required to obtain written physician consent before participating in the investigation)
• report being unable to walk for 2 blocks (1/4 mile) without stopping
• are currently participating in a weight loss program and/or taking weight loss medication or lost > 5% of body weight during the past 6 months
• report major psychiatric diseases or organic brain syndromes
• have had bariatric surgery or are planning to have bariatric surgery within the next 4 months
• intend to move outside of the metropolitan area within the time frame of the investigation
• are pregnant, lactating, < 6 months post-partum, or plan to become pregnant during the investigation.

Where it is running

• Healthy Eating and Activity Laboratory, University of Tennessee — Knoxville, Tennessee, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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