Train Your Brain - Executive Function

Overweight and Obesity Clinical Trial

Official title:

The Effect of Executive Function Training on Diet and Attitudes

Clinical Trial Details — Status: Recruiting

Administrative data

• NCT number: NCT05938894
• Other study ID #: GFHNRC299
• Status: Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Start date: September 25, 2023
• Est. completion date: December 2025

Study information

• Verified date: April 2024
• Source: USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center
• Contact: Tori Kaster, MS
• Phone: 701.795.8142
• Email: tori.kaster[@]usda.gov
• Is FDA regulated: No
• Study type: Interventional

Clinical Trial Summary

The purpose of this research is to test if playing games designed to improve an individual's executive function can change their views about the types of foods they eat. Executive function is a set of mental processes that people use every day to make decisions - such as what kinds of foods they choose to eat and when and where they eat those foods.

Description:

The purpose of this study is to determine whether executive function (EF) training concurrently improves attitudes, perceptions, and consumption of nutrient-dense foods (i.e., fruits, vegetables) while worsening the same of nutrient-poor foods. In effect, the aim is to test whether EF training can promote the substitution of nutrient-poor foods with fruits and vegetables (FV), as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans (DGA) recommends regular consumption of FV as part of a healthy dietary pattern. Given the health benefits associated with consuming FV, EF training that effectively promotes increased FV intake may benefit health. For example, FV consumption is associated with the reduced risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, cancer, and eye and skin health. Moreover, FV consumption is associated with better mental and cognitive health.

Recruitment information / eligibility

• Status: Recruiting
• Enrollment: 500
• Est. completion date: December 2025
• Est. primary completion date: December 2025
• Accepts healthy volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers
• Gender: All
• Age group: 18 Years to 70 Years

Eligibility

Inclusion Criteria:

• BMI 23-38 kg/m2

• US citizenship

• Not currently dieting to lose weight and no weight loss or gain of >2 kg over the past 3 months

• No tobacco or e-cigarette use

• Not pregnant or lactating or planning to become pregnant while participating in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

• Not a US citizen

• Currently dieting to lose weight

• Weight loss of >2 kg over the past 3 months

• Tobacco or e-cigarette use

• Pregnant or lactating or planning to become pregnant while participating in the study

• A history of bariatric surgery

• Diagnosis of major medical or psychiatric condition that would interfere with participation, including not being physically able to play the games, or a current eating disorder

Related Conditions & MeSH terms

• Overweight
• Overweight and Obesity

Intervention

Other:
• online games with various food images
Participant will play a series of online games with various food images.
• online games with images of flowers and songbirds
Participant will play a series of online games with images of flowers and songbirds.

Locations

Country	Name	City	State
United States	USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center	Grand Forks	North Dakota

Sponsors (1)

Lead Sponsor	Collaborator
USDA Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center

Country where clinical trial is conducted

United States, 

Outcome

Type	Measure	Description	Time frame	Safety issue
Primary	Change in response time	Change in online game speed of response time	Week 0, Week 9
Primary	Change in percent correct	Change in online game percent correct	Week 0, Week 9

External Links

•   Grand Forks Human Nutrition Research Center Train Your Brain Study website