Eating disorders and obesity

Comparison of the chewing behaviour of patients suffering from obesity and healthy participants under resting and stress conditions

Obesity has a prevalence rate greater than 20 percent in Germany. It increases the rate of many health risks of the persons suffering from it. According to the selfish brain theory, reasons for it are (amongst others) faulty regulation processes of the energy balance in the brain. Main factors of these regulation processes are the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical-axis (HPA axis), the Corticotropin releasing factor (CRF) and Cortisol. However, stress induced concentrations of CRF and Cortisol vary depending on the individual. Hence, stress induced CRF and Cortisol increase food intake for some persons, while it is lowered for others. These differences are caused due to individual differences in Cortisol concentrations under stress conditions. It is yet unknown whether higher Cortisol concentrations under stress conditions cause higher rates of food intake and higher chewing frequency. Therefore, eating and chewin behaviour and the Cortisol concentrations under resting and stress conditions shall be investigated in this study. Psychosocial stress will be induced by the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a psychosocial stress test. To specify eating and chewing behaviour, a new, innovative recording device is uses, the chewing frequency sensor. Using it, we will be able to investigate if stress induced Cortisol concentrations could change the eating behaviour and the chewing frequency. This information might clarify ethiologic processes and be a basis for the prevention of health risks in patients suffering from eating disorders (e. g. Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, obesity).

People with obesity - Inclusion Criteria:

  • Obesity according to the ICD-10
  • Age between 18 and 65 years

People with obesity - Exclusion Criteria:

  • Mental Disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)
  • Endocrine disorders

People with healthy weight - Inclusion Criteria:

  • Age between 18 and 65 years

People with healthy weight - Exclusion Criteria:

  • Obesity according to the ICD-10
  • Mental Disorders according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV)
  • Endocrine disorders

For further information, please contact our site staff:

Dr. Mareike Ernst, Telephone number: 06131-17-7649,
 mareike.ernst@unimedizin-mainz.de

or

get in touch with us via our general e-mail address:
 SPE@unimedizin-mainz.de

University Medical Center Mainz
Study Center for Clinical Trials in Mental Disorders
Untere Zahlbacher Str. 8
55131 Mainz