Effects of Caloric Restriction and Exercise on Body Weight, Immune Function, and Intestinal Flora
Condition: Cardiometabolic Risk; Weight Loss; Immune System; Intestinal Microbiome
MeSH terms: Body Weight; Weight Loss
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to estimate the effects of caloric restriction and exercise on
      body weight, cardiovascular metabolic markers, immune function, and intestinal flora among
      college students, as well as the underlying mechanisms.
    

Detailed description: 
      In recent decades, carbohydrate-centered food pattern has brought worrying negative effects
      on human health, including increasing incidence of overweight, obesity, and cardiovascular
      diseases. Animal experiments based on rhesus monkey showed that caloric restriction could
      prolong their healthy life years, while reports from population-based studies are quite
      inconclusive. There are some studies reporting that caloric restriction did reduce the risk
      of cardiovascular disease in those with obesity, while some other cohort studies found that
      not eating breakfast might increase the risk of coronary heart disease, diabetes and other
      related diseases. In addition, a number of studies claimed that continuous caloric
      restriction is associated with the depletion of peripheral immune cells, immune suppression
      and reduced bone mineral density. In spite of those inconclusive results, on the whole,
      fasting and caloric restriction in some way do improve the conditions of metabolism,
      overweight and obesity. Previous studies mostly focused on middle-aged and elderly people,
      while recent studies in mice show that energy limitation in elderly people could not stop the
      aging process genetically or metabolically. Therefore, this study aims to estimate the
      effects of caloric restriction and exercise on body weight, cardiovascular metabolic markers,
      immune function, and intestinal flora among college students, as well as the underlying
      mechanisms. A pilot study containing around 40 participants will be conducted firstly to
      assess the feasibility of this intervention plan.
    

Intervention name(s): Exercise; Caloric restriction
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Rope-skipping exercise for three times a week (90 minutes each time, and there is a 10 min break after 20 min Rope skipping). Exercise bracelet and smart bracelet would be used to record the energy consumption throughout the study.; In the first two weeks, participants would reduce their daily energy intake to 100% -110% of his or her basal metabolic energy under instruction, and stick to it till the end of the intervention.
According to the dietary recommendation proposed by Chinese government, participants are required to take in cereals, vegetables, fruits, meat and eggs, while minimize the consumption of sugar-sweeten beverages.
Participants are instructed to arrange their three meals according to the recommended energy distribution (3:4:3).
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Caloric Restriction; Exercise; Young Adult