View clinical trials related to Obesity.
Filter by:Background: - Past studies suggest that the best way to improve heart health in the Black community is through community-based programs. Researchers will partner with DC community leaders. They will collect information about the health and health needs of people in mostly Black churches in DC. They will study things that affect heart health, like diabetes, blood pressure, cholesterol, and weight. They will also study how technology can keep track of activities and health. The information will show the health needs of this church-based community. Objectives: - To create an intervention for future programs to improve heart health in African-American churches in Washington, DC. Eligibility: - Adults ages 19 to 85 who attend one of the study churches. Design: - Participants will visit their church for a 4-hour health exam. They will have their blood pressure and body measurements taken. They will have a drop of blood taken from their finger with a small needle. This blood will be tested for blood sugar and cholesterol. Participants will be given the results of these tests. - Participants will answer questions about their health. - All participants will be given an activity monitor to wear for 1 month. The activity monitor is worn around the wrist. Some participants will also receive an activity monitor that is worn around the waist. Participants will be given instructions on how to wear the activity monitors and follow the results on a website. - At the end of 1 month, participants will return one device (they can keep the other). They may receive a gift card for completing the study.
Previous studies have shown that obese individuals exhibit greater reward-related brain activity in response to food cues than lean individuals and our group has shown that successful weight loss maintainers who were previously obese and now maintain a healthy weight have increased control-related activity when viewing food cues. These findings suggest key roles for both reward-related brain areas and inhibitory control regions in eating behavior. However, no studies to date have examined (a) whether the response to food cues (i.e., cue-reactivity) can be changed in obese individuals, (b) which strategies are most effective at altering brain response to food cues, or (c) the neural mechanisms that support such change. Given the omnipresent environmental cues to eat and the association between heightened reward-responsivity and obesity, it is critical to investigate ways to potentially alter food cue-reactivity in the obese. The most widely employed approach for behavioral weight loss treatment is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), which incorporates strategies to control and change cognitions (e.g., avoid desire to eat tempting foods by focusing on something else). This approach is sometimes described as "change- focused" because modifying negative thoughts is assumed to thereby change associated maladaptive emotions and behaviors. Alternatively, emerging evidence suggests Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which teaches participants to recognize and accept their cravings as feelings that need not be acted upon, may also be effective in treating obesity. A third strategy often employed in smoking cessation and substance abuse treatment is to focus on the long-term consequences of behaviors, however this form of treatment is not typically used in behavioral weight loss therapy. Thus although each approach is potentially effective, these treatment approaches differ greatly in the cognitive strategies they employ. The primary aim of the proposed research is to compare a cognitive strategy used in CBT (ʻCHANGEʼ), a cognitive strategy emphasized in ACT (ʻACCEPTʼ), and a cognitive strategy used in smoking cessation (ʻLATERʼ) relative to a control condition (ʻNOWʼ), in their effectiveness in altering reward and inhibitory control responses to food cues among obese individuals.
Obesity is one of the most important determinants of quality of life and function. People with lumbar spinal stenosis may be at increased risk of obesity given walking limitations. Spinal stenosis is a very common degenerative condition in people over 45. People with this condition have pain and numbness in the legs during walking, and therefore avoid physical activity. Lack of physical activity is related to weight gain and increased risk of chronic disease. Objective: The objective of this project is test a new e-health (online) pedometer and nutrition intervention aimed at promoting weight loss and increasing physical activity in overweight and obese individuals with spinal stenosis. Methods: The investigators will recruit 88 people with lumbar spinal stenosis who are overweight or obese. Half of these people will receive the 12-week intervention, and the other half will receive usual care (no intervention). In Weeks 1 and 6, people in the intervention group will meet with a Registered Dietitian and an Exercise Physiologist for personalized sessions. They will receive a pedometer and instructions on how to log in to the e-health site (https://sspanli.mtroyal.ca). They will wear the pedometer daily and log in to the website each week for a nutrition education session, a weekly step goal, and tips. The investigators will look to see whether people in the intervention group show greater change in physical activity, body composition and quality of life compared to the individuals who received usual care. Relevance: The increasing number of people with spinal stenosis represents a huge health care burden in Canada. This intervention could provide a new treatment option that would increase mobility, quality of life, and potentially alleviate the need for expensive treatments like surgery. E-health interventions provide an opportunity for patients to take an active role in their own health, and promote behaviour changes that will result in healthier Canadians less likely to access care in the future.
The aim of this double blind clinical trial study is to investigate whether alphacalcidol treatment in obese subjects can affect the resting metabolic rate. Moreover, the investigators will evaluate the pathways of Nesfatin-1, Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and eroxisome proliferator-activated receptor- coactivator-1 α (PGC1α) protein which may lead to change in metabic rate following treatment with either alphacalcidol or placebo.
The present protocol is designed to conduct nutrigenomic and nutrigenetic studies on foods conforming to the Mediterranean diet, in order to determine the effect functional foods have on blood parameters (cholesterol metabolism, glucose metabolism, hepatic function, inflammation, nutritional status) and body composition in the context of four different diets (standard, high fat, high protein, low carbohydrate). The study focuses on the effect of these nutraceutical foods in relation to different diets. Diets were chosen to reflect the standard reference diets used by the general population, so as the outcomes of the addition of each interventional food element may be interpreted in the context of a variety of dietary patterns.
Propionic acid (PA) is used as a preservative in foods such as cheeses, baked goods, or additive for artificial fruit flavors. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency considers it safe and therefore, has no limitation on its use. Since PA has been shown before to serve as a substrate for glucose production in the liver, the purpose of this study is to find out if PA intake causes changes in levels of glucose, insulin and other important hormones following a meal. This research study will compare PA to placebo. The placebo looks exactly like the active substance, but it does not contain any active agent (PA). Placebos are used in research studies to see if the results are due to the study drug or to other reasons. The investigators plan to have 20 subjects take part in this study at the Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH).
The goal of this study is to determine whether one week of phentermine compared to placebo administration results in changes in food intake during a laboratory meal.
Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of the Nereu program compared to standard care (advice on increased physical activity and nutrition) such as a health intervention tool for the childhood obesity management Methods/Design: The study design is a randomized controlled multicenter clinical trial using two types of treatment. Population and sample: Children 6 to 12 years with overweight or obesity, according to the z score of body mass index (BMI z) >= 1 for age and gender defined by International Obesity Task Force (IOTF). It is considered necessary to recruit 100 children: 50 control group (CG) and 50 Intervention (IG). Study Intervention: Nereu Group: 8 month intervention with 3 weekly training sessions doing physical exercise for children and a weekly session for parents of physical activity and healthy eating habits and behaviour strategies, that involves both parental and child participation. The control group will receive a monthly session of healthy physical and eating habits. Main Outcome Measures: Improvement of BMI z, physical activity and nutrition habits, behaviour components and quality life related to health at the end, 6 and 12 months after intervention.
TARGet Kids! (The Applied Research Group for Kids) is a research study enrolling healthy children aged 0-5 years. The aim of the TARGet Kids! registry is to link early life exposures to health problems including obesity, micronutrient deficiencies, and developmental problems. TARGet Kids! represents an innovative collaboration between child health researchers and children's primary care doctors (pediatricians and family physicians) to promote research that really matters and create solutions to some of the today's biggest health concerns. The results of this collaborative research study are not only improving the quality of children's healthcare but also the health of children across the country. Coordinated by Sick Kids and St. Michael's Hospital with data management services by the Applied Health Research Centre (AHRC), TARGet Kids! is the only primary care research network for children in Canada.
Obesity has become a global epidemic causing enormous human and economic costs. Incidence rates have doubled over the last few decades and obesity-related illnesses such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases now constitute one of the major contributors to the global burden of disability. Overall, obesity has been recognized as one of the most pressing public health concerns worldwide and effective treatment and prevention strategies are urgently required. While behavioral and pharmacological treatments (e.g.low calorie diets, medication) are successful means for overcoming overweight and mild obesity, more severe cases of obesity usually fail to respond to such interventions. As a result, the demand for weight loss surgery is growing among this population. However, uncertainties about the effectiveness of obesity surgery persist and high relapse rates (i.e. weight regain) are common. Further research in this field is needed to identify risk factors that may trigger relapse and to understand patients' treatment needs in greater depth. Previous studies have pointed toward high levels of mental health problems among patients. However, the impact of preoperative psychopathology on actual surgery outcomes remains unclear. Similarly, few studies have investigated the effect of postoperative therapy on patients' psychological functioning and weight loss patterns. Research addressing these gaps is imperative to establish best-practice approaches. This challenge applies in particular to Middle East and North Africa(MENA) countries where research in the field of bariatric surgery and related mental health is largely missing. This is a major concern given the fact that the MENA region experienced the highest increase in overweight and obesity in recent decades compared to other countries. The proposed study aims to address this deficiency by examining obesity surgery patients in two Arab countries (UAE and Jordan). The goals of the project are to investigate the nature and extent of psychological health concerns among these patients before and after surgery and potential associations with treatment outcomes. Moreover, it will test the efficacy of post-operative counseling to improve weight loss and psychological health. For this purpose, a randomized clinical trial design will be employed so that cause and effect relationships between postoperative counseling and treatment outcomes(i.e. weight loss and psychological functioning) can be examined experimentally. The study will start by assessing participants' psychological health prior to surgery by using standardized self-report measures. After surgery, participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention condition consisting of 3-monthly post-operative medical checkups plus group counseling or the treatment as usual condition (i.e. 3-monthly standard medical checkups only). Additionally, participants' psychological health will be reassessed in both groups at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months after surgery. The benefit of the experimental study design is that it allows comparing patient outcomes between groups while at the same time controlling for a wide range of potential confounding variables. The data collected are expected to make a significant contribution to the treatment challenge of one of the most pressing public health concerns worldwide. Study results will add to clinical practice by broadening and deepening our knowledge of the treatment needs of obese patients. By identifying psychological health concerns that may threaten successful treatment outcomes high-risk patient groups can be recognized early, which in turn may help to reduce postoperative weight regain and other complications. To the best of the PI's knowledge, the proposed work would be the first study of this kind in the Arab world. Findings will be helpful for developing culturally sensitive and evidence-based best-practice guidelines, which are vital to achieve satisfying long-term outcomes. Moreover, study results will be relevant for research communities and practitioners outside the MENA region since empirical support for the effectiveness of obesity surgery remains weak internationally.