What this study is
The aging population is rapidly increasing, and it is important to identify dietary factors that can prevent disease and promote health in this group. Legumes, such as peanuts, are a plant-based food high in protein and unsaturated fat making this a healthy choice but are not consumed frequently enough in older adults. Studies have shown that regular nut consumption is associated with lower adiposity and reduced weight gain, and several dietary pattern studies indicate that nuts and legumes are associated with better bone health. In addition, our preliminary translational data indicates that a higher monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) intake is associated with improved bone mineral density (BMD) and quality. Given these findings, the proposed study aims to examine the impact of consuming peanut products on bone health, metabolic health (e.g., serum glucose, insulin, lipids and inflammation), markers of brain and sleep health, and physical function in overweight and obese older adults before and after a six-month weight loss intervention using a randomized controlled design. The results of this study have the potential to provide valuable insights into the role of peanuts as a sources of fatty acids in promoting health and preventing disease in at-risk adults.
What's being tested
- Peanut Snack Experimental
Intervention · DIETARY SUPPLEMENT
Subjects will receive a daily peanut snack and nutrition education-behavior modification instructions for weight loss
- Nut-free Snack
Intervention · DIETARY SUPPLEMENT
Subjects will receive a daily no-nut snack and nutrition education-behavior modification instructions for weight loss
Study details
- Official title
- Metabolic Health, Bones and Nuts Sources of Fatty Acids During Weight Loss in Adults
- Sponsor
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
- Conditions
- Weight Loss · Bone Density · Obesity and Overweight
- Enrolling
- 44 people
- Starts
- 2025-10-30
- Est. completion
- 2027-12-31
- Design
- Quadruple-blind, randomized, parallel groups
- Record
- View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Who can join
Age 50 Years – 75 YearsSex ALLHealthy volunteers AcceptedYou may qualify if
- Men and postmenopausal women (>2 years since last menses), ages 50-75 years
- Body mass index (25-42 kg/m2) or evidence of pre-clinical obesity.
- Agree to be randomly assigned to consume a daily peanut snack or nut-free snack for 24 weeks
- Must attend on-site visits (about 10) in New Brunswick, NJ, USA (transportation/reimbursement for travel not included)
You can't join if
- Peanut allergies or intolerances
- Individuals with >5% weight loss in the past 3 months or those with extreme dietary/physical activity habits.
- An inability to follow the experimental intervention or to perform the required specimen collections.
- Individuals with significant psychiatric or food disorders.
- Current diagnosis, or history of cancer in past 3 years.
- Current diagnosis or history of bone diseases, type I or II diabetes if using insulin, gastrointestinal disease, hyperparathyroidism, Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment, untreated thyroid disease, significant immune, hepatic, cardiac, or renal disease.
- History of major surgery in the past 6 months
- Regular use of medications that affect bone metabolism, including bisphosphonates or hormone replacement.
- Regular use of medications for cholecystitis, urinary tract infection, severe organic diseases including coronary heart disease, myocardial infarction, infectious diseases including pulmonary tuberculosis and AIDS.
- Alcohol or illicit drug abuse
- Any other condition deemed by the Research Physician that would prevent participation in the study, e.g. participation in another clinical research project that may interfere with the results of this study.
- Participation in another clinical interventional research trial
Sign in and we'll check these against your records.Full criteria on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Study locations (1)
1 openRutgers University - NJ Inst Food Nutrition & Health
New Brunswick, New Jersey, United States
- Principal Investigator · Contact848-932-9403shapses@rutgers.edu
- Research Manager, MS · Contact732-455-2062ru-nextnutrition@sebs.rutgers.edu
Recruiting
Study team
Sponsor
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
Study ID Pro2023001457
Frequently asked questions
The sponsor hasn't published answers to common questions for this trial.