AlgiFood
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Designing the most effective vehicle to deliver alginate to effectively reduce fat digestion and absorption
IRAS ID
160018
Contact name
Matthew Wilcox
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 11 months, 28 days
Research summary
Obesity is one of the major causes of disease and premature death. The increase in the prevalence of obesity stems from the difficulty that many people face in maintaining recommended daily guidelines for dietary intake and physical activity. In particular, a wide range of high calorific food products are available whose taste, texture (hedonistic qualities) and branding may outweigh an individual’s drive to eat healthily. Fat taken in through the diet can account for up to 40% of calorie intake in western diets. Fat needs to be broken down before it can be absorbed by the body and the body does this efficiently with 95-100% of all the fat digested and absorbed.
Alginates have been shown to be effective inhibitors of the digestion of fat in model systems and initial human trials using bread made with alginate to deliver the correct dose. Here we are using food products made with alginate to potentially deliver several doses or different food products.
Volunteers will test the two products and their equivalent control products, (same food but without the addition of alginate) becoming their own controls. Blood samples and wellbeing questionnaires will be taken before and for 5 hours after consumption of the meal to assess the amount of fat that is taken in from the meal.
The aims of this project are to assess whether the food products developed within this study can reduce dietary fat digestion rates in human participants. At the same time, we will assess how inclusion of these foods compared to a control food’s effect on blood glucose and fat profiles following a meal. As well as how eating these foods affects general well-being and feelings of hunger and fullness in individuals.REC name
North East - Newcastle & North Tyneside 2 Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/NE/0015
Date of REC Opinion
10 Mar 2016
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion