Appetite and Dietary Intake Across the Menstrual Cycle

NCT06327087 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 22-00874
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 31
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Lay language summary: Women are younger and menstruating about monthly ("pre-menopausal") often have fluctuations in the food they eat ("dietary intake") across the menstrual cycle. However, relationships between food intake and appetite, metabolism, body composition (i.e., the proportion of muscle and fat), physical activity and premenstrual symptoms have not been reported. This study will measure appetite and food intake in laboratory and usual life settings in healthy pre-menopausal women in two hormonally different parts of the menstrual cycle. Data on ovarian hormones, metabolism, body composition, physical activity and premenstrual symptoms will also be collected to assess their potential relationship with food intake.

Conditions

Appetitive Behavior; Healthy; Dietary Habits

Keywords

energy expenditure; appetite sensations; diet

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (4)

• Energy intake

  Ad libitum intake at lunch; difference between energy in weighed food before and after consumption in a laboratory setting

  1 hour

• Hunger area under the curve

  Repeated visual analog scale (0-100mm) ratings of hunger after a standard breakfast meal

  3 hours (pre and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after breakfast)

• Satiety area under the curve

  Repeated visual analog scale (0-100mm) ratings of satiety after a standard breakfast meal

  3 hours (pre and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after breakfast)

• Prospective food consumption area under the curve

  Repeated visual analog scale (0-100mm) ratings of prospective food consumption after a standard breakfast meal

  3 hours (pre and 30, 60, 90, 120, 150, and 180 minutes after breakfast)

Secondary Outcomes (6)

• Free-living ad libitum energy intake

  2.5 days following study visit

• Resting metabolic rate

  30 minutes

• Body composition

  30 minutes

• Estradiol

  5 minutes

• Progesterone

  5 minutes

Interventions

No intervention OTHER

Observational study in the late follicular and mid-luteal phase

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 35 Years
• Sex: female
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Healthy sedentary or recreationally active females with normal menstrual cycles

You may qualify if:

• Female sex
• Age: 18 - 35 years
• Nulliparous
• Body mass index (BMI): 18.5 - 24.9 kg/m2
• Premenopausal, with regular menstrual cycle (every 21-38 days, by self-report)
• Sedentary or recreationally active, defined as: \<300 minutes per week of voluntary exercise at moderate intensity or greater over the past 12 weeks
• Not currently pregnant or lactating, not planning to become pregnant in the next 12 weeks
• Ability and willingness to fast for 12 hours before each study day visit
• If applicable:
• For people who occasionally (i.e., \<1x/day) use cannabis (including cannabidiol-based products): ability and willingness to abstain from cannabis for two days prior to each study day visit, the day of each study visit, and during each ad libitum diet phase.
• For people who use cannabis daily: ability and willingness to continue to use the exact same amount of cannabis as they normally use for two days prior to each study day visit, the day of each study visit, and during each ad libitum diet phase.

You may not qualify if:

• Current or previous major comorbidities, by self-report, including:
• Cardiovascular diseases
• Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
• Cancer
• Thyroid diseases
• Human immunodeficiency virus or hepatitis B or C
• Renal diseases
• Hepatic diseases
• Polycystic ovary syndrome
• Uncontrolled/untreated (self-report):
• Hypertension (or measured diastolic blood pressure \> 100 mm HG or systolic blood pressure \> 160 mm HG)
• Dyslipidemia
• Sleep disorders
• Any other condition that may affect appetite and energy balance
• Currently or in the past six months:

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of British Columbia: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of British Columbia - Okanagan

Kelowna, British Columbia, V1V1V7, Canada

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Smith M, Aghayan M, Little J, Prior JC, Cohen TR, Soon Z, Bomide H, Purcell S. Energy intake and appetite in laboratory and free-living conditions may be consistent across menstrual cycle phases. Appetite. 2026 Jan 1;216:108314. doi: 10.1016/j.appet.2025.108314. Epub 2025 Sep 25.

  PMID: 41005066 RESULT

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Appetitive Behavior; Feeding Behavior

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior, Animal; Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: OTHER
• Time Perspective: PROSPECTIVE
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 27, 2024
• First Posted: March 25, 2024
• Study Start: June 1, 2022
• Primary Completion: October 30, 2024
• Study Completion: October 30, 2024
• Last Updated: May 1, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-04

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

CA (1)