Gene-diet Interactions on Body Weight Regulation and Lifestyle Parameters.
Condition: Gene-diet Interactions; Overweight and Obesity; Body Weight Changes; Health Status; Quality of Life
MeSH terms: Overweight; Body Weight; Body Weight Changes
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      Increased body weight leading to the development and the establishment of overweight and
      obesity, has a growing detrimental effect on overall health status and quality of life.
      Latest research has been focusing on the direct influence of dietary habits on body weight
      regulation and its synergistic effect with genetic predisposition. The synergistic effect of
      genetic makeup and dietary habits constitute a major contributing factor, specifically in its
      manifestation on parameters of the cardiometabolic profile of individuals with elevated body
      weight.

      In this context, the aim of the present study is to investigate the effect of two hypocaloric
      diets with different macronutrient content (a high-carbohydrate/low-fat and a high-protein
      one) on the body weight loss of an overweight and/or obese adult, Greek population. Moreover,
      the study aims to explore gene-diet interactions between obesity and weight loss- related
      target genes and adherence to the proposed dietary schemes. It will further examine
      influences of the aforementioned factors on body composition, anthropometric indices, such as
      waist circumference, biochemical biomarkers related to cardiometabolic control and parameters
      of lifestyle, such as sleep quality.

      More specifically, 300 participants will be allocated into two groups, following either the
      high-carbohydrate/low-fat diet or the high-protein diet, for a duration of 3 months.
      Volunteers will participate in in-person meetings, at baseline and at three months after the
      beginning of the intervention. Anthropometric measurements and collection of blood samples
      will take place in each meeting. Demographic data and data on family and medical history,
      dietary habits, adherence to the Mediterranean diet, overall health status and physical
      activity will be collected at baseline. Participants will be provided with nutritional
      counselling and support both at the beginning and throughout the intervention. Participants
      will further report their monthly progress by completing online questionnaires (namely
      concerning their body weight, overall health status, physical activity and sleep quality),
      via use of an online assessment tool developed by our team.

      The effect of the intervention will be evaluated using anthropometric indices, body
      composition markers and biochemical biomarkers of cardiometabolic control, pre- and post-
      intervention. Gene-diet interactions will be assessed via genotyping of DNA samples and
      statistical analyses will take place via statistical packages, such as PLINK v.1.9.
    


Intervention name(s): Nutritional intervention.
Intervention type(s): Other
Intervention description(s): Diets designed for body weight loss, based on different macronutrient content.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Other
Keywords: Gene-diet interactions; Nutritional Intervention; Online Self-assessment Tools; Body Composition; Lifestyle characteristics