Active clinical trials for "Overweight"

A goal of this study is to use a novel methodology to determine whether insulin resistance in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is related to the accumulation of proteins with modifications. This could lead to future research to determine if these modifications interfere with their proper function. Additionally, the investigators will determine how protein quality is affected by exercise training. Aerobic exercise enhances the endogenous oxidant buffering systems which may minimize oxidative damage to proteins. The investigators propose that aerobic exercise minimizes the accrual of modified proteins by increasing the synthesis of new proteins, but also by increasing the degradation and removal of old and damaged proteins. Based on our previous studies the investigators observed that insulin affects plasma protein synthesis and aerobic exercise improves insulin sensitivity not only in muscle but also in liver. The investigators therefore propose that aerobic exercise and related increase in insulin sensitivity (and decline in insulin levels) will reduce accumulation of old and modified skeletal muscle and plasma proteins leading to improved function.

The goal of this study is to determine the success rate of the retroclavicular approach for the anesthesia of the upper limb in the obese patient population (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2)

The purpose of this study is to research the effects of exercise on calories eaten and expended. The investigator expects to find out whether subjects change their eating and activity behaviors when starting an exercise program.

Women with polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) have increased rates of hepatic steatosis compared to weight similar women with regular menses. It is unclear if this is related to high testosterone or insulin resistance. The investigators will assess hepatic glucose release, rates of lipolysis and hepatic de novo lipogenesis in the fasted and postprandial state to determine if alterations in the processes contribute to hepatic steatosis. Participants will be overweight, sedentary girls with or without PCOS. Those with PCOS will either be medication naive, or must be taking metformin or combined oral contraceptives (COCPs) for a period of at least 6 months prior to study procedures.

Achievement and maintenance of weight loss in obese individuals has proven difficult. Many hypotheses have suggested potential biological mechanisms to explain why weight loss attempts often fail, and the surrounding obesogenic environment also seems an obvious candidate. Among the biological factors proposed is gender, and weight loss trials have frequently shown that females are less successful than males at losing weight and at maintaining weight loss. Women's weight is influenced by the menstrual cycle, in which changes in hormonal levels and interactions work to modulate fertility. These hormones control the menstrual cycle and coordinate the required changes in energy intake, expenditure, and storage, whilst preparing the body for pregnancy every month. As reproduction is a primary biological function, these hormones may be such strong mediators of eating behavior that they influence the outcome of a weight loss attempt. The menstrual cycle should therefore be taken into consideration as a factor in the physiology of energy balance in premenopausal women. The cycle can be divided into three phases: menstruation or early follicular phase (days 1-5), late follicular phase that lasts until ovulation (~days 6-14, and the luteal phase (days 15-28). Studies have shown that in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle, women's energy intake and energy expenditure are increased and women experience more frequent cravings for foods, particularly those high in carbohydrate and fat, than during the follicular phase. A trend towards reduced carbohydrate utilization and increased fat oxidation in the luteal phase has also been reported, together with prolonged time to exhaustion when exercising at submaximal intensities. This suggests that the potential of the underlying physiology related to each phase of the menstrual cycle may be worth considering as an element in strategies to optimize weight loss. In 2010 the investigators carried out a 90-day randomized, controlled pilot study in order to gain feedback on and assess acceptance of the meal and exercise plans being used and to observe if less control visits than planed in the main study were sufficient to achieve good compliance. Twenty eight were sreened and 24 were included. Subjects were randomized to either program A (given meal and exercise plans in relation to phases of their menstrual cycles) or Program B (a reduced calorie diet, calorie-matched to program A). The pilot study showed that Group A (The Menstralean group) tended to have a greater average weight loss at 60 days (-5.29 vs -3.57 kg, p = 0.06) and 90 days (-4.22 vs -2.75 kgs, p = 0.2) compared to the control groups. There was a dropout rate of 27%. This was primarily due to an inadequate number of control visits and contact with the subjects. Thus the Menstralean program seems to have the potential to enhance weight loss in overweight and obese women. However, the main study has to be carried out with more subjects in each group in a longer duration and with more support and contact with the subjects. The aim of the present trial is to examine the impact of the menstrual cycle on weight loss attempts in healthy overweight (BMI > 27 kg/m2) premenopausal women (18-40 years) randomized to two different weight management programs for a period of 6 months.

Besides their potential action in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), GLP-1 analogues decrease satiety and food intake leading to a significant weight loss in patients. However, little is known about their effects on food hedonic sensations and taste perception. The aim of this study is to investigate the impact of Liraglutide on the liking and wanting components of the food reward system, taste sensitivity and sensory specific satiety in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. According to the review of literature in animal models, it is expected that Liraglutide will modify food preference and gustative perception in humans. Thirty T2DM patients will be studied before and after 3 months of treatment with Liraglutide (1.2 mg/day). Same tests will be carried out on two consecutive days before and after the treatment administration. Olfactory liking, recalled liking and wanting for several food items will be assessed. Sensory specific satiety will be measured as well as detection thresholds for salty, sweet and bitter tastes. Subjects will also answer questionnaires on hunger, pleasure in eating, and food intake.

Vitamin D deficiency is widespread throughout the world, and the deficiency has been associated with several chronic diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. In Nordic countries, like in Finland, there is a particular variation in vitamin D status, and during wintertime, when there is no exposure to ultraviolet-B light from the sun, serum concentrations of vitamin D decrease substantially. In Finland, some 40% of middle-aged men and one third of women also have some degree of impairment of glucose metabolism. The purpose of this trial is to investigate the effects of two different daily doses of vitamin D on glucose metabolism in men 60 years of age or older and who are vitamin D deficient, have a high body mass index and at least two characteristics of cardio-metabolic syndrome. Altogether 102 subjects with low serum calcidiol (<60 nmol/L) will be recruited and randomized to one of the three groups: 1) 40 µg/d vitamin D3, 2) 80 µg/d vitamin D3 or 3) placebo. The supplementation period will last for 6 months from September 2011 to March 2012. The main hypotheses of the trial are: (1.) Vitamin D supplementation will improve glucose and insulin metabolism in people with a low baseline vitamin D status, in a dose-dependent manner. (2.) Vitamin D supplementation will have an effect on the expression of genes involved in glucose and insulin metabolism and inflammation. (3.) Vitamin D supplementation will have an effect on epigenetic changes in key genes participating in vitamin D metabolism.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether storage time affects how human body responds to autologous blood transfusion. An autologous blood transfusion is when a person donates blood and then receives that same blood back in the transfusion. We also want to find out if in this situation inhaled nitric oxide can help to prevent the potential reduction of vasodilation capacity. Vasodilation capacity is the ability of the blood vessel to widen when needed.

The objective of the study is to investigate the efficacy of motivational interview intervention with adolescent students at a school environment on the adhesion to a therapeutic plan to loose weight.

The fact that metformin treatment has been associated with reduced risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease raises the possibility of a beneficial role of metformin for other age-related diseases. The actions of metformin resemble the effects of calorie restriction (CR) to some extent, and microarray analyses have shown that metformin induces a gene expression profile that aligns with that of CR in animal. The aim of the study is to investigate whether metformin treatment can induce dietary restriction-like state in human. Sixty overweight subjects will be included in this study, and participants will be divided 3 groups (20 cases in each group)including metformin group (0.85, twice daily), standard diet group, and CR group. All subjects will be treated 6 months. At the end of this study, blood samples and muscle samples will be obtained.