BEAM is a multi-site longitudinal cohort study of hypothalamic gliosis, central regulation of appetite and weight gain in children. Participants will be recruited from the community in the greater Seattle and greater Baltimore area. All participants will consent to enroll in the 24-month study during which they will complete 5 in-person study visits.
The proposed 2-site research study uses a longitudinal cohort design in 102 children aged 9-11 yr. It will include for all participants baseline MRI and functional MRI, in-depth eating behavior testing, and measurement of hormone profiles. Serial measurement of weight and self-reported eating habits will occur over 2 yr, with a repeated MRI at 2 yr. The study aims to: 1) test if MBH gliosis is associated with impaired intake regulation and poor weight outcomes over 2 yr in children, 2) determine if CNS appetitive processing is negatively affected when evidence of MBH gliosis is present, and 3) test for other brain regions in which gliosis is present in association with excess adiposity in children. An exploratory aim will assess changes in gliosis in children over 2 yr and their relation to changes in body weight and adiposity.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
101
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland, United States
University of Washington
Seattle, Washington, United States
Hypothalamic gliosis
Evidence of hypothalamic gliosis as measured by T2 relaxation time using MRI
Time frame: 2 years
Habitual dietary intake
Dietary intake in children by 24-hour dietary recalls
Time frame: 2 years
Obesity
Child BMI z-score calculated by the measures of height and weight
Time frame: 2 years
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