Circadian Rhythms in Human Adipose

This study is examining whether body fat tissue (adipose tissue) has its own internal 24-hour clock — called a circadian rhythm — and how that clock is affected by when you eat, as well as whether obesity changes this internal timing. Researchers are comparing lean adults versus those with central obesity who receive either continuous feeding through a tube or three standard meals to see how fat tissue rhythms differ. Eligible adults must have a BMI of either 20–25 (lean) or 30–37 (obese with a high waist-to-hip ratio), be sedentary, non-pregnant, and free from sleep disorders, smoking, or medications affecting fat metabolism. Participation involves a multi-day inpatient stay at a clinical research unit, wearing a sleep-tracking watch, eating via a feeding tube, and having up to four small fat tissue biopsies from the abdomen. This summary was prepared with AI assistance to help patients understand the study in plain language.