Purpose

The purpose of this study is to test the effects of two dietary interventions, glycemic load and calorie restriction, on physical function, cognition, pain, fatigue, mood, and anxiety in adults with multiple sclerosis (MS). The investigators will also explore the how the diet interventions impact inflammation, immunity, and metabolic biomarkers.

Conditions

Eligibility

Eligible Ages
Between 18 Years and 65 Years
Eligible Genders
All
Accepts Healthy Volunteers
No

Inclusion Criteria

  • Diagnosed with RRMS or SPMS - BMI 25-50 kg/m2 (overweight/obese) - EDSS ≤6.5 (able to walk 100m with or without assistance) - If on disease-modifying treatment (DMT), stable for 6 months - If not on DMT, no DMT in previous 6 months - No expected change to DMT in next 34 weeks - Responsible for food preparation or have input into food preparation

Exclusion Criteria

  • MS relapse in previous 30 days - Unable to walk 25 feet with or without assistive device - Pregnant or breastfeeding - Current use of insulin or sulfonylurea agents - Score indicating low cognitive functioning on the Telephone Interview for Cognitive Status (TICS-m) assessment - Actively engaged in a weight loss program or unwilling to follow assigned dietary pattern - Unable to receive, store, or prepare food according to diet plan - Medical contraindication to either treatment or control diet (including severe allergies that cannot be accommodated within either group)

Study Design

Phase
N/A
Study Type
Interventional
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention Model
Parallel Assignment
Intervention Model Description
Participants will be randomized to follow either a low GL or standard GL diet for 32 weeks. For the first 16 weeks, both groups will eat enough calories to maintain baseline weight. During the second 16 weeks, both groups will reduce calorie intake by 500 kcal/day,
Primary Purpose
Other
Masking
Single (Outcomes Assessor)
Masking Description
All staff collecting outcomes data will be randomized to treatment group (low GL vs standard GL).

Arm Groups

ArmDescriptionAssigned Intervention
Experimental
Low Glycemic Load
This group will be prescribed a daily GL of <45 points/1000 kcal and 25% of daily calorie intake from carbohydrates. This group will be provided few processed foods. During the first 16 weeks, this group will eat enough calories to maintain baseline weight, and will reduce daily calorie intake by 500 kcal/day in the second 16 weeks.
  • Behavioral: Glycemic load
    Participants will be provided food to meet GL prescription for the duration of the trial.
  • Behavioral: Calorie restriction
    Participants will be provided food to meet their prescribed daily calorie intake for the duration of the trial (weight stable in first 16 weeks, weight loss in second 16 weeks).
  • Behavioral: Behavioral support
    All participants will receive behavioral supports in the form of email, text, information pages and weekly calls from the study staff to maximize adherence.
Active Comparator
Standard Glycemic Load
This group will be prescribed a daily GL of >75 points/1000kcal and 60% of daily calorie intake from carbohydrates. This group will be provided more processed foods than the low GL group. During the first 16 weeks, this group will eat enough calories to maintain baseline weight, and will reduce daily calorie intake by 500 kcal/day in the second 16 weeks.
  • Behavioral: Glycemic load
    Participants will be provided food to meet GL prescription for the duration of the trial.
  • Behavioral: Calorie restriction
    Participants will be provided food to meet their prescribed daily calorie intake for the duration of the trial (weight stable in first 16 weeks, weight loss in second 16 weeks).
  • Behavioral: Behavioral support
    All participants will receive behavioral supports in the form of email, text, information pages and weekly calls from the study staff to maximize adherence.

Recruiting Locations

University of Alabama at Birmingham
Birmingham, Alabama 35294
Contact:
Brooks C Wingo, PhD
205-934-5982
bcwingo@uab.edu

More Details

Status
Recruiting
Sponsor
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Study Contact

Brooks C Wingo, PhD
(205) 934-5982
bcwingo@uab.edu

Detailed Description

100 participants will be randomized 1:1 to follow either a low glycemic load (GL) or standard GL diet for 32 weeks. For the first 16 weeks, all participants will eat enough calories to maintain their baseline weight. During the second 16 weeks, all participants will reduce calorie intake by 500kcal/day, with a goal of losing 5-10% of initial body weight. Participants will complete data collection at baseline (prior to randomization), at 17 weeks (after the weight stable phase) and again after completing the calorie restriction phase. All participants will receive meal plans and groceries for the duration of the trial.

Notice

Study information shown on this site is derived from ClinicalTrials.gov (a public registry operated by the National Institutes of Health). The listing of studies provided is not certain to be all studies for which you might be eligible. Furthermore, study eligibility requirements can be difficult to understand and may change over time, so it is wise to speak with your medical care provider and individual research study teams when making decisions related to participation.