The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effects of pistachio snacking on metabolicflexibility (at rest, during exercise, and in post-exercise recovery) in healthyoverweight and obese adults. Secondary goals include evaluating effects on changes indiet quality, sleep characteristics, physical activity, and hormonal health in women. Inrandomized order, participants will complete four days of pistachio snacking and fourdays of normal dietary habits (control). For both conditions, primary outcomes of restingsubstrate metabolism, metabolic flexibility during exercise, and post-exercise substratemetabolism will be measured pre-post intervention via indirect calorimetry. Secondaryoutcome of diet quality (kcal, carb, fat, protein) will be measured pre-post interventionvia diet log. Exploratory outcomes of daily physical activity (steps, intensity), nightlysleep characteristics (quantity, quality, latency, efficiency), and daytime sleepinessand hunger.
Not Provided
Other: Pistachio
Roasted, lightly salted, pistachio kernels (no shell)
Inclusion Criteria:
- Males and Females
- Age: 25-45 years
- Overweight or obese (BMI=25.0-34.9 kg/m²)
- Poor sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index ≥ 5)
- Healthy (no diagnosed metabolic, cardiovascular, sleep, or other health condition
that may significantly alter metabolism, sleep, or ability to participate in the
exercise test)
- Not meeting weekly physical activity recommendations (<150 min moderate-intensity
exercise, <75 minutes of vigorous-intensity exercise, and <2 days of strength
training)
- Not following a diet that is restrictive or eliminates certain food group/types
Exclusion Criteria:
- Allergies to nuts, especially tree nuts
- Has a pacemaker
- Following a diet that is restrictive or eliminates certain food group/types
- Self-repoted health or disease state that may influence study outcomes, including
known metabolic or endocrine disorder (e.g. prediabetes, type 1 or type 2 diabetes,
or polycystic ovary syndrome), cardiovascular diseases, neuromuscular disorders,
musculoskeletal disorders; current or recent history of cancer/cancer treatment
(within the past year)
- History of gastrointestinal surgery, hysterectomy
- For women: pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant during the time of
participation, pregnant within the last year, currently breastfeeding, or known to
be perimenopausal
Public Health Research Center: Clinical Exercise Research Center
Columbia, South Carolina, United States
Callie Unrein, MS
803-777-5478
sustainlab@mailbox.sc.edu
Katie R Hirsch, PhD, Principal Investigator
University of South Carolina