Please select the eligibility criteria that correspond to the clinical trial below.
Title: Effect of Carbonated Soft Drinks on Body Weight, Fat Distribution and Metabolic Risk Factors
Brief Summary: Compared to solid foods, the nutritional energy of drinks may bypass the appetite regulation leading to obesity development. Although drinks sweetened with aspartame are available the anticipated positive effect of these drinks on obesity development has not been convincing. However, the mechanisms linking drinks intake to obesity are yet to be clarified.

The investigators aim is to investigate the long-term effects of intake of soft drinks, milk and water. The study is a parallel, intervention trial with 80 overweight, healthy volunteers. They will be randomly selected to drink one liter a day of one of the four drinks for six months. The objectives are changes in numerous circulating metabolic risk factors, changes in body weight, anthropometric data and fat distribution (measured by DEXA, MRI and MR-spectroscopy).

The investigators expect to clarify the mechanisms linking drinking habits to obesity development and provide scientifically based nutritional guidelines.


Options:
A: Inclusion Criteria:

* Self-identify as African American
* Be between the ages of 18-65 years
* Body Mass Index between 25- 49.9 kg/m2
* Live in the Columbia, SC/Midlands area
* Be able to attend all monitoring and weekly class visits
* Be willing to be randomized to either diet

Exclusion Criteria:

* Currently following a vegan diet
* Diagnosed with diabetes that is controlled by medication
* Currently pregnant or breastfeeding (or plan to become pregnant in the next 24 months)
* Under the age of 18 years old
* Over the age of 65 years old
* Currently participating in a weight loss program
* Has lost more than 10 pounds in the past 6 months
* Diagnosed with stroke or heart attack
B: Inclusion Criteria:

* 63 to 79 years old
* healthy men and women
* able to attend clinic at a study sites

Exclusion Criteria:

* illiteracy or inability to understand the protocol
* unable to undergo neurophysiological tests
* morbid obesity (BMI greater than or equal to ≥ 40 kg/m2)
* uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c\>85)
* uncontrolled hypertension
* prior cerebrovascular accident
* any relevant psychiatric illness, including major depression
* advanced cognitive deterioration, dementia
* other neurodegenerative diseases (i.e. Parkinson's disease)
* any chronic illness expected to shorten survival (heart, liver, cancer, etc)
* bereavement in the first year of loss
* bad dentures unless fixable dental prostheses are used
* allergy to walnuts
* customary us of fish oil or flaxseed oil supplements
* eye related exclusion criteria
C: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age between 20-50 years;
* BMI between 28-36 kg/m2;
* Weight stabile 3 months prior to the study inclusion;
* Less than 10 hours of weekly exercise

Exclusion Criteria:

* Diabetes
* Allergic to phenylalanine or milk
* Smoking
* Pregnancy or breast-feeding
D: Inclusion Criteria:

* subject is male or female, 18-74 yrs of age, inclusive
* subject reports habitual consumption of ≥2 servings/d of high-sugar beverages (e.g., non-diet soda, fruit juice cocktails)
* subject has waist circumference ≥33.0 inches for women and ≥36.0 inches for men
* subject is at risk for development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), based on 1 or more of the following: fasting glucose 100-125 mg/dL; glycosylated hemoglobin 5.7-6.4%, or ≥20% risk of developing diabetes in the next 7.5 yrs based on the San Antonio Heart Study prediction equation
* subject has a score of 7-10 on the Vein Access Scale at screening
* subject is normally active and judged to be in good health on the basis of medical history, physical examination and routine lab tests
* if female, subject is willing to schedule treatment visits during the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle, defined as days 1-14, where day 1 is 1st day of menses
* subject has a menstrual cycle duration ranging in length form 24-36 d (if premenopausal)
* subject is willing to maintain a stable body weight and follow his/her habitual diet and exercise pattern, except for inclusion of study product, throughout the trial
* subject is willing to maintain his or her habitual intake of coffee, tea, and alcoholic beverages throughout the trial
* subject agrees to limit intake of non-study related dairy products to ≤1 serving per day during each treatment period
* subject is ambulatory and willing to refrain from vigorous physical activity and consumption of alcoholic beverages 24 h prior to each test day
* subject has no plans to change smoking habits during the study period
* subject is willing to abstain from tobacco use 1 h prior to and during visits on LMTT test days
* subject has no health conditions that would prevent him/her from fulfilling the study requirements as judged by the Investigator on the basis of medical history and routine lab test results

Exclusion Criteria:

* subject has abnormal lab test results of clinical importance, including, but not limited to, TG ≥400 mg/dL, fasting creatinine ≥1.5 mg/dL, alanine aminotransferase or aspartate aminotransferase ≥1.5 times the upper limit of normal at screening
* subject has a body mass index ≥45.0 kg/m2
* subject has fasting blood glucose ≥126 mg/dL at screening or known diabetes mellitus (type 1 or T2DM)
* subject has a habitual intake of ≥4 servings/d of dairy food and beverages
* subject has known allergy or sensitivity to study product or any ingredients of study product. Subjects with lactose intolerance will be allowed to use products such as Lactaid dietary supplements
* subject has a history of coronary heart disease, congestive heart failure, or serious ventricular dysrhythmias (ventricular tachycardia or fibrillation)
* subject has a change in body weight of \>4.5 kg within 4 weeks of screening
* subject uses medications known to influence carbohydrate metabolism
* subject has recent use of antibiotics
* subject has an active infection
* subject has unstable use of anti-hypertensive medications, thyroid hormone replacement, or lipid-altering drugs within 4 weeks of screening
* subject has unstable use of lipid-altering foods or dietary supplements within 4 weeks of screening
* subject uses niacin at doses \>200 mg/d within 4 weeks of screening
* subject has history of extreme dietary habits, e.g., Atkins, high protein
* subject has a history or presence of clinically important endocrine, cardiac, renal, hepatic, pulmonary, biliary, pancreatic, gastrointestinal, or neurologic disorders that could interfere with interpretation of study results
* subject has history of dysphagia, swallowing disorders, or intestinal motility disorders
* subject has history of cancer
* subject has uncontrolled hypertension at screening (systolic blood pressure ≥160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥100 mm Hg)

Answer: C