Time Re-Focused Eating for Non Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

• Research type

  Research Study

• Full title

  The Development and Feasibility of a Time Refocused Eating Intervention for Obesity and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

• IRAS ID

  233059

• Contact name

  Enzo M Di Battista

• Contact email

  enzo.dibattista@wales.nhs.uk

• Sponsor organisation

  Aneurin Bevan University Health Board

• Duration of Study in the UK

  0 years, 10 months, 29 days

• Research summary

  This project is a feasibility study. A feasibility study is a small-scale study that aims to help researchers design larger studies by providing them with important information about the practicalities of conducting a larger study. For example, whether it is possible to recruit enough participants or whether a treatment should be redesigned. Feasibility studies are important, especially within the National Health Service, because they may help avoid wasting time and resources on a larger study. In this study, we aim to find out if a particular diet, called ‘Time-Refocused Eating’ (or TREating), can help people with obesity and ‘non-alcoholic fatty liver disease’ (or NAFLD) to lose weight and control (or potentially reverse) their liver condition.
  TREating focuses on the idea that all eating takes place within a 10 hour period each day. Only sugar free drinks like water and herbal teas can be consumed outside of this period. TREating has helped people with obesity lose weight in previous studies, but these studies did not look at the effects on liver disease. Therefore, this study aims to find out if eating within a 10 hour period each day for 3 months is an acceptable weight loss approach for people with obesity and NAFLD. During the TREating programme patients will see a dietitian at a hospital location, at least 4 times over 3 months. This study will ask patients and NHS staff (e.g. doctors and nurses) whether they find TREating acceptable for weight loss and liver disease. Before and after the TREating programme, a blood sample will be taken so that the researchers can see whether the treatment is having an effect. Bodyweight, diet, physical activity and well-being will also be measured to help the researchers decide if this feasibility study has been successful before deciding to proceed with a larger study.

• REC name

  Wales REC 6

• REC reference

  18/WA/0258

• Date of REC Opinion

  30 Nov 2018

• REC opinion

  Further Information Favourable Opinion