Active clinical trials for "Obesity"

This study will test an 18-month intervention designed to increase physical activity, reduce sedentary practices and promote healthy diets or reduce tobacco use and exposure among preteens who obtain orthodontic care. Relevance: If successful, this study may inform policies that would promote all specialists (orthodontists, physicians, general dentists) to deliver brief counseling for diet, physical activity, and tobacco prevention.

The purpose of this clinical trial is to study the therapeutic effect of black cumin water extract (Nigella sativa L.) on obesity and overweight

Rationale: Obesity is an increasing health risk worldwide, with the USA recording prevalence in adults of around 20%. The mean body weight of obese patients is also increasing. One of the strategies to treat extreme obesity (Body Mass Index (BMI) > 40 kg/m2) is weight-reducing surgery like laparoscopic gastric banding or gastric bypass. During anaesthesia, morbidly obese patients are exposed to an increased risk at developing postoperative wound infections, apnoea and thrombotic events and may be more difficult to intubate. Routinely, amongst others, cefazolin, morphine, nadroparin and atracurium are administered in standard dosages. However, it is not known to what extend the pharmacokinetics and/or -dynamics of these drugs are affected in morbidly obese patients. Therefore, evidence-based dosing schedules for these drugs in morbidly obese patients should be developed. Objective: The study is performed in order to develop population pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic models of the routinely used drug therapies during bariatric surgery in morbidly obese patients (BMI > 40 kg/m2): cefazolin, morphine, nadroparin and atracurium. A covariate analysis will be performed in order to account for variability in pharmacokinetic and/or pharmacodynamic parameters. This covariate analysis will take into account procedure and patient bound covariates, with specific interest for body weight as a covariate. Whenever possible, non-obese patients will be included in the covariate analysis. The results will be used to develop individualised dosing schemes for routinely used drugs peri-operatively in morbidly obese patients. Study design: A randomised, prospective, observational, therapeutic and invasive study. Study population: Morbidly obese patients with a Body Mass Index > 40 kg/m2 undergoing laparoscopic banding or gastric bypass surgery, 18-60 years old. A total of 20 patients will be included in the study. Intervention (if applicable): All measurements and data collection will take place around administration of drugs that are given according to routine clinical practice (cefazolin 2 grams for prophylaxis of infections, morphine 10 mg intravenously at the end of surgery, a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump with morphine for postoperative pain relief and nadroparin 0,6 ml for trombo-embolic prophylaxis). For muscle relaxation, patients are randomised to receive one of two generally accepted dosing regimen of atracurium (0.5 mg/kg based on ideal body weight or 0.5 mg/kg based on total body weight). Peri- and postoperatively, a maximum amount of 70 ml of blood will be collected from an indwelling arterial line for measurement of concentrations of cefazolin, morphine, and anti-Xa (nadroparin). One week after surgery the patient will be checked for thrombosis using ultrasonography. Main study parameters/endpoints: Primary endpoints to evaluate in morbidly obese patients are; pharmacokinetic parameters of cefazolin in blood; pharmacokinetic parameters of morphine and metabolites in blood; time course of anti-factor Xa levels in blood following nadroparin; time course of the pharmacodynamic effect of atracurium. Secondary endpoints to evaluate in morbidly obese patients are: to compare primary endpoints (obtained in morbidly obese patients) with data of non-obese patients the occurrence of postoperative wound infections; postoperative pain scores, sedation scores and nausea scores; the occurrence of bleedings or thrombotic events ; required amounts of morphine (PCA); to compare the time course of the pharmacodynamic effect of two different doses of atracurium.

The goals of this study are to evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and potential efficacy of an innovative obesity prevention intervention integrating pediatrician counseling and a home-based program to prevent unhealthy weight gain among 2-4 year old children at risk for obesity.

The purpose of this study is to find out if spironolactone, a drug that blocks the action of aldosterone, can make the blood vessels work better in people with obesity. The investigators also want to find out whether spironolactone causes changes in levels of insulin and markers of inflammation.

Objective: This study aimed to characterize the food intake and energy expenditure of school cooks and to evaluate the anthropometric and metabolic changes that occurred after a low-volume home-based exercise program. Methods: A randomized clinical trial in the city of Niteroi, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, was conducted during the school year of 2007. The trial had a factorial design based on two different interventions: 1) nutritional counseling and 2) home-based exercise. The nutritional intervention was focused on decreasing the amount of sugar used in school meals by the cooks as well as decreasing their own sugar intake. The exercise program consisted of stretching and aerobic exercises that could be practiced at home, at least three times per week (40 minutes per session), with a low-to-moderate intensity.

Obesity prevention should remain a priority, although there is some evidence of a possible leveling off in some age groups across European countries and in USA, Japan and Australia. Besides adult health problems such as type-2 diabetes and cardiovascular diseases, obesity in childhood is associated with psychological and social problems, low self-esteem, stigmatization and being teased and bullied by friends. Danish research suggests that the causes behind the increase in obesity occurrence are present already in early childhood, and that prevention of obesity therefore has to start early. Research has suggested that at least three sub-groups can be considered susceptible to develop obesity: Children with obesity among their 1st degree relatives; children with a high birth weight or children coming from socially disadvantaged families (low socioeconomic status). Earlier intervention programs has showed little effect in preventing excessive weight gain and knowledge on how to develop effective intervention programs that reduce overweight and obesity remains limited. It has been suggested that future prevention programs may be more successful if specifically targeting groups that are at high risk, as mention above, of excessive weight gain. Based on these suggestions, the "Sund Start" project was initiated. The purpose of the study was to determine whether aiming prevention towards 2-6 years old Danish children who were yet normal weight, but were considered susceptible to develop overweight or obese could prevent later on risk of becoming overweight or obese. Furthermore, to investigate if it was possible to improve diet habits, increase physical activity, reduce stress and improve sleeping habits among children at high risk for later on overweight and obesity. The "Sund Start" project will contribute with knowledge about whether targeting normal weight, predisposed children is effective in preventing overweight and obesity, and if reduced stress and improved sleep, should be considered important new obesity prevention tools. Moreover, the project will contribute with knowledge about how to change lifestyle and its effects on development of overweight and obesity in high risk Danish preschool children.

The purpose of this research study is to evaluate two different Parents as Teachers curriculums taught by parent educators, during home visits. The control curriculum includes only the standard PAT lessons; the intervention curriculum includes the standard PAT lessons plus additional information about how families can live healthy and active lives while reaching a healthy weight. The investigators hypothesize the intervention lessons will change the way people eat and/or their activity level.

In pregnancy, the adoption or pursuit of a sedentary lifestyle contributes to the development of co-morbid conditions such as hypertension, maternal and childhood obesity, gestational diabetes, pre-eclampsia, cesarean section and delivery of large-for-gestational-age infants (LGA). The aim of this study is to test the hypothesis that obese, pregnant women following a supervised moderate intensity physical conditioning program during the 2nd trimester of pregnancy will maintain a higher level of physical activity up to the end of pregnancy, as compared to women in the control group. We will also conduct a pilot study on the feasibility to examine the effects of the intervention on maternal fitness and neonatal anthropometry.

The aim of the proposed study is to provide important data on weight loss efficacy in overweight and obese adolescents on an isocaloric higher protein diet vs a lower protein diet utilizing the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) MyPlate nutrition guide. The investigators hypothesize that the higher protein diet will result in greater weight loss due to increased satiety and better dietary adherence.