Dr. Ursula White, associate professor of Clinical Sciences at Pennington Biomedical Research Center, dives deep into the lasting health effects of weight gain and weight loss in the short term. The ability of adipose tissue to expand or contract to accommodate changes in body weight is important for sustainable health. Dr. White’s clinical trial at Pennington Biomedical, the EAT2 study, will allow her to investigate how changes in fat tissue are affected by weight gain and weight loss, and what that means for a person’s health.
The EAT2 study is now recruiting participants and participants will be randomly assigned to the two groups: a control group with a stable weight and a group with a diet that promotes weight gain. Both groups will participate in a dietary intervention program for 8 weeks, but those in the weight gain group will also receive an eight-week weight loss treatment after the dietary intervention.
“This study is unique because it will investigate what exactly happens to your health during periods of weight gain and weight loss and how fat tissue can mediate these changes,” says Dr. White, director of the Physiology of Human Adipose. Tissue laboratory at Pennington Biomedical. “Yes, the active group is prescribed a diet intended to promote weight gain, but those participants also receive weight loss guidance during the study. Several active participants have shared that they have lost more weight than they gained, and while that result is not true, it is not guaranteed that we will still invite the community to help us learn more about how weight change can affect your health. ”
To qualify for the study, participants must be a premenopausal man or woman, between the ages of 18 and 42, and have a body mass index (BMI) between 23 and 35. The study will last approximately nine months and includes a screening visit and 11 study visits, including two optional overnight stays in the Pennington Biomedical Inpatient Unit.
The EAT2 study is funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases of the National Institutes of Health.
Although most view fatty tissue as undesirable and as a place where the body stores excess calories, the tissue has many other functions that affect a person’s metabolism and health. The adipose tissue responds to insulin and also secretes factors that influence appetite, the immune system, hormone levels and more. The study will examine the health effects of weight gain and loss in the context of these factors.
At Pennington Biomedical, we strive to address the root causes of obesity and tackle metabolic diseases. The EAT2 research is a great example of the fundamental science taking place on our world-famous campus. By understanding the fundamental functions of adipose tissue mechanisms, we can open new research opportunities and uncover new knowledge.”
Dr. John Kirwan, executive director of Pennington Biomedical
Study participants will receive compensation for their time and participation in the study. In addition to information about their individual health profile, compensation of up to $1,255 will be offered for completion of the study.
The EAT2 study has been a long time in the making, as it originally began in the weeks leading up to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dr. White has successfully secured ongoing grants to support progress and ensure completion. Now that the study is in full swing, it is expected to be completed in 2025.