What is the purpose of the study?
Fast food meals often have high levels of saturated fats (from meats, dairy products, chips, and pastries). This study is designed to help understand how eating a fast-food-type meal affects your body’s responses to stress in ways that may be related to risk for obesity and/or heart disease.

What would I do if I were in the study?
All participants will complete 3 visits to the Clinical Research Center (CRC) over the span of 3-4 weeks.  The 3 sessions include the Screening Session, Visit 1 and Visit 2.  These visits will be used to collect information about your stress hormone responses, aspects of your immune system, your heart rate and blood pressure, cholesterol, and triglycerides.  In addition, we will collect information about your mood, feelings, health behaviors, health, and personality.  These visits will include blood draws, saliva samples, body measurements, mild stressors, questionnaires, and interviews.

For Visit 1 and Visit 2, you would wear a shirt with short sleeves or sleeves that can easily be rolled up past the elbow.  You will not be allowed to eat anything after 8:00 PM on the night before Visits 1 and 2; however you will be given a full meal as soon as your first blood sample has been drawn on each visit.  You will also be asked to refrain from consuming alcohol for 24 hours before each full-day visit, and you will be asked to avoid any strenuous physical activity for the two days before each full-day visit. You will not be able to take vitamins, aspirin, or antioxidants or other dietary supplements for the 7 days prior to each admission.

Study participants will be given a fast-food type meal high in saturated fat.  You will need to eat the entire meal within 20 minutes each time.  You will receive water but not any other food or drink during the next 7 hours after you finish the meal.

Who is eligible to be in the study?
~MEN ONLY ages 35-65 who live in the Greater Columbus Area
~Must have a Body Mass Index (BMI) between 30-34 (Click here to calculate your BMI)
**Please note** Unfortunately, if you already participated in our "Fish Oil (Omega-3) Study" or our "Yoga for Breast Cancer Survivors Study" then you will NOT be eligible to participate in this study.

How would I benefit by participating?
~May be reimbursed up to $415 for your time and participation
~Free parking at each visit
~Free breakfast at each visit
~3 free prepared meals the day before Visits 1 & 2
~Detailed report regarding your eating patterns, your average daily intake of different nutrients and recommendations for improving your diet.

Need more info?
Click here to read the consent form (pdf)
Click here to read the HIPAA privacy policy (pdf)

We are no longer accepting applications for this study. All spots are currently filled.