Grant: Project Grant

Hormonal contraceptive pills (HCPs) - commonly known as "the pill" - are used by about one-third of women in Canada who are still having their periods (premenopausal). These pills typically contain the hormones estrogen and progesterone; these hormones can affect appetite and food intake. Some studies show that women on HCPs may feel less full in the short-term, and may gain more weight after trying to lose weight in the long-term. This is important because many people in Canada are affected by overweight or obesity. We will conduct a study to understand if HCPs affect appetite and food intake when premenopausal women with obesity are trying to lose weight and maintain it. This project involves a weight loss and maintenance program in women taking HCPs versus not taking HCPs. We will compare factors related to energy balance, including appetite hormones, food intake, and energy metabolism (the fuel our bodies use) between HCP users and non-users before, during, and after the intervention. We will also measure other aspects of appetite and mental wellbeing to help inform our findings. This project will provide important information about how a widely-used medication affects weight management and could lead to new tailored approaches for diet and obesity treatment.