Active clinical trials for "Feeding and Eating Disorders"

Background: Previous studies on Internet-based treatment with eating disorders have shown promising results. Objective: The first aim of this study was to investigate the effects of a tailored therapist guided internet-based treatment for individuals with eating disorders. The second aim was to examine the role of knowledge acquisition. Method: 138 participants were recruited. Screening consisted of online questionnaires followed by a telephone interview. A total of 92 participants were included after a semi-structured diagnostic interview and randomized to an 8 week treatment program (n=46) or to a control condition (n=46). Treatment consisted of individually prescribed cognitive behaviour therapy text modules in conjunction with online therapist guidance. The control group consisted of a waitlist who later received treatment.

The purpose of the study is to test a novel, acceptance-based behavioral treatment for bulimia nervosa (BN) in adults. This treatment is a type of individual psychotherapy called Nutritional Counseling And Acceptance-Based Therapy (N-CAAT) that enhances existing cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for BN by incorporating acceptance-based behavioral strategies and nutritional counseling to help patients eliminate BN symptoms.

This research project aims to examine whether adding an online programme of cognitive training exercises may be a helpful addition to treatment as usual for young people with eating disorders. The cognitive training exercises aim to modify distortions in attention and thinking during hypothetical, ambiguous social interactions involving the risk of social rejection. All participants will complete a baseline assessment consisting of a battery of questionnaires and computerised tasks, to assess attention and thinking during ambiguous social interactions involving the risk of social rejection. Participants who display distortions in attention and thinking will then be randomised to one of two groups. In one group participants will receive the computerised training alongside their usual treatment. In the other group participants will continue to receive their treatment as usually only. Healthy controls will also be invited to take part in the baseline assessment to allow for comparisons between clinical and non-clinical groups.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of a web-based intervention specifically designed for patients with Binge Eating Disorder (BED) in a blinded randomized controlled trial. After a sign-up process, a diagnostic interview, and a baseline assessment, eligible participants will be randomly allocated either to (1) an intervention group including the online web-based intervention for BED or (2) a waitlist control group with delayed access to the intervention (12 weeks). The program comprises six mandatory weekly sessions and six modular specialization areas resulting in a treatment period of 12 weeks. Minimal guidance is provided via a chat function. Assessments will be conducted at pretreatment (study entrance), six weeks after baseline (mid-treatment), and 12 weeks after baseline (post-treatment). The investigators expect that the intervention group will show lower frequencies of binge eating episodes as the primary outcome variable after the 12 weeks of treatment compared to a waitlist control condition. Moreover, the investigators assume that there will be a higher reduction in global eating disorder symptoms, comorbid psychopathology, and a higher increase in well-being and self-esteem over 12 weeks in the intervention group compared to the waitlist control group. Finally, the investigators expect that the intervention group will demonstrate a significantly higher reduction in functional impairment, substantially better restoration of work capacity, and an improved ability to regulate emotions after the 12 weeks of treatment.

The eBEfree project aims at testing the effectiveness of an information and communication technology-based delivery version of BEfree in individuals with obesity and Binge Eating Disorder (BED). BED is a serious public health concern, given its prevalence, psychiatric comorbidity and association with obesity, which is currently a major health and economic challenge of epidemic proportions. BED affects obesity onset, maintenance and treatment. BEfree is a 12-session face-to-face group intervention for BED, developed by the current project research team, that integrates mindfulness, compassion, and values. BEfree was found to be effective in treating BED and in improving psychological adjustment. ICT-based interventions are a cost-effective form of treatment delivery that may increase treatment accessibility for individuals with BED and obesity. This project will directly contribute to the treatment of these conditions and improvement of health services at regional and national levels.

The investigators are studying a new treatment for one subtype of obesity. Obesity is not a disease. It is a symptom of several different diseases. These diseases have distinct etiologies, being caused by aberrations in different mechanisms. Forms of obesity caused by such non-critical mechanisms might be corrected fairly easily and safely. The investigators are interested in overeating and obesity that is caused by the opioidergic system. The opioidergic system appears to be responsible for a subtype of obesity associated with binge eating disorder (BED). People, especially with the right genetic predisposition, can become addicted to foods that release endorphins, in the way that people become addicted to exogenous opiates and other drugs that release endorphins. The particular application in our proposed clinical trial is for intranasal (IN) naloxone. The peak levels of naloxone were similar and the bioavailability of naloxone intranasally was 100% (the same) of that available IV." IN administration of naloxone has since been broadly tested in humans, as well, where it has been shown to be safe, with pharmacokinetics similar to those of naloxone given by injection .

There is a paucity of research evaluating the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary approach in an outpatient clinic setting in the management of feeding problems in children diagnosed with ASD. Current behavioural interventions geared to address this problem can be labour intensive and costly. The SOS approach for managing feeding problems in children has been adopted internationally. Thus establishing its effectiveness will be useful in providing evidenced based interventions for feeding difficulties in ASD.

Enhanced CBT (CBT-E) is an effective treatment for the majority of outpatients with an eating disorder; however in about 30% of patients remission is made difficult. This may be due to the concomitant presence of trauma. Therefore we expect that a combination of CBT-E and EMDR, which is the evidence based treatment for PTSD disorder, would enhance the remission probability. This trial has a parallel group randomized controlled design. All patients who will enter in contact with the Regional Reference Centre for Eating Disorders in Verona and will satisfy inclusion criteria will be randomized to the broad form of CBT-E (CBT-Eb) plus EMDR or CBT-Eb alone. Patients will be evaluated before the treatment, at the end of treatment and after 6 months post-treatment with a set of standardized measure to assess eating disorder symptoms and other possible predisposing and moderating factors. The efficacy of CBT-E vs CBT-E + EMDR will be evaluated at the end of the treatment and after 6 months in terms of global score of the Eating Disorder Examination. Moreover the changes in other secondary outcomes will be considered. This explorative study may suggest new hypothesis for larger RCTs in order to increase the knowledge on ED.

Adolescents and young adults with eating disorders undergoing refeeding on an inpatient unit often experience abdominal pain and anxiety either as a result of their medical condition or as an expected side effect of nutritional rehabilitation. The purpose of this study is to assess if VR (Virtual Reality) mindfulness therapy is more or as effective as the standard of care (supportive care such as aromatherapy, heat packs, distraction, and nausea bands) for treating and/or preventing anxiety and pain in patients with eating disorders during the re-nourishment process. The anticipated primary outcome will be reduction of abdominal pain and anxiety with utilization of this intervention.

Self-esteem group is a novel, manualised group programme designed for adolescent inpatients with eating disorders. Research questions: Does the self-esteem group improve self-esteem in adolescent inpatients with eating disorders? Are any changes in self-esteem maintained at 4 week follow-up after the group? Does eating disorder psychopathology improve more during admission for those who complete the self-esteem group compared to those who do not complete the group? Background: Low self-esteem has been established as a strong predictor of onset, maintenance and relapse in eating disorders. For patients with low self-esteem, change can be particularly difficult to achieve. The intensity of their low self-esteem leads them to strive to control their eating, weight and shape to gain a sense of self-worth and the pervasive negative view of themselves results in them seeing little or no prospect of recovery. This suggests treatment of low self-esteem is clinically and financially important. Studies have shown cognitive behavioural based group therapies improve self esteem in adults with eating disorders; however research including adolescents is limited. This research will contribute to the evidence base for self-esteem interventions in adolescents and inform the effectiveness of a new treatment. The research will be funded by Newbridge House, an inpatient unit for children and adolescents with eating disorders. Design: Inpatients at Newbridge House aged 11 - 18, fulfilling DSM-V criteria for an eating disorder will be recruited.Participants will be randomly allocated to a case or control group. Cases will receive the 6 week self-esteem group in addition to treatment as usual (TAU) and will be compared with controls who receive TAU. Both groups will complete a questionnaire pre-group, post-group and 4 weeks post-group. Admission and discharge questionnaires routinely collected will be examined to assess change in eating disorder psychopathology.