
Lifestyle Modification for Weight Loss in Schizophrenia
ObesitySchizophrenia1 moreThe purpose of this study is to find out how effective lifestyle modification group therapy is on reducing body weight when compared to usual care in individuals with schizophrenia and/or schizoaffective disorder.

A Pilot Study of the Efficacy of Alli in the Management of Pre-operative Weight Loss Required for...
ObesityThe primary goal of the study is to determine if orlistat 60mg (Alli) is effective in helping patients achieve a required 10% weight loss goal prior to bariatric surgery. The medication will be added to the usual standard of care which includes education regarding diet and exercise and monthly meetings with a registered dietician.

Influence of Weight Loss or Exercise on Cartilage in Obese Knee Osteoarthritis Patients
OsteoarthritisKnee1 moreObesity and osteoarthritis (OA) co-exist in an increasing part of the population. The two diseases intertwine in several ways. The evolution in the population shows a tendency towards deterioration of both by increasing general age and weight. The two diseases share pathogenetic features and the development of one disease increases the risk of the other and may be the onset of a vicious circle. There is a link between treatments of these two diseases as well. There is now solid (gold) evidence that by treating effectively the obesity of patients with co-occurring OA, the functional status is dramatically ameliorated; the short-term results are equal to that of a joint replacement. The long-term efficacy of a weight loss remains to be shown. OA is definitely one of many diseases in which obesity must be taken seriously into account when planning a correct treatment of patients. This trial has two phases, the first (16 weeks) consisting of a dietary intervention with low-energy diet and the second (52 weeks) a randomized, three group (each n>50 patients) controlled study of maintenance of weight loss by either continuing dietary instruction, exercise, or a control group. The hypothesis is that maintenance of an initially induced weight loss is dependent on attention rather than any specific therapy.

Disseminating Effective Habits for Long-Term Weight Loss
OverweightObesityThe purpose of the study is to determine whether using a web-based weight loss website can help overweight individuals lose weight.

Keep It Off: A Weight Loss Maintenance Study
Weight Loss MaintenanceThe goal of this project is to test whether a phone and mail-based program designed to help people who have recently lost weight helps them keep the weight off over a 2 year period.

Pounds Off Digitally Study: A Podcasting Weight Loss Intervention
Weight LossParticipants in both the existing and enhanced podcast groups will lose weight. The enhanced podcasting group will have a greater increase in weight loss, elaboration, self-efficacy, and perceived control than the existing podcast group.

Effect of Weight Loss and Exercise on Liver and Muscle Fat in Obese Elderly
ObesityThe purpose of this study is to determine the effect of weight loss and exercise on liver and muscle fat.

Effect of an Antioxidant on Cancer-Cachectic Patients Undergoing Exercise Training
Gastrointestinal NeoplasmsBronchial Carcinoma3 moreThe purpose of the study is to tests the hypothesis, that N-acetylcysteine (a thiol-antioxidant)improves the exercise training effect on cancer patients that experience weight loss (cachexia) as assessed by muscle mass and function as well as histomorphology.

Brief Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment vs. Weight Watchers
ObesityOverweightThe purpose of this study is to compare the effectiveness of Weight Watchers, brief behavioral treatment, and a combination treatment. We hypothesize that a combination treatment will achieve greater weight losses than Weight Watchers alone.

Use of MCT Oil for Enhancement of Weight Loss and Glycemic Control in Obese Diabetic Patients
ObesityType 2 Diabetes MellitusPhase I, 6 weeks: Intensive weight loss 42 obese subjects with type 2 diabetes mellitus or impaired fasting glucose (FBS greater than 100 mg/dl) and a patient at the Nutrition and Weight Management Center at Boston Medical Center will be randomized to receive either an MCT-based or LCT-based liquid diet for a 6 week period (Phase I) to establish compliance followed by a second 6 week period (Phase II). These diets will be isocaloric (1083 kcal/day) and identical except for the quality of the fat. The intervention will be double blinded. The MCT diet will consist of 5 liquid meals using a commercial product plus 34 grams MCT oil (Life Enhancement Products, Inc. Petaluna, CA; 8.3 kcal/gm) added per day to the HMR shakes. The LCT diet will utilize 5 HMR shakes plus 31.5 grams LCT oil (corn oil; 9 kcal/gm) per day. Patients in both groups will be given a list of supplemental foods that are suitable for the study. They may choose to eat up to an additional 400 kcal per day from this list and will be asked to add these to their food records for monitoring of their caloric intake. A dietitian will instruct subjects at a baseline visit on behavior modification and a moderate physical activity program. Baseline testing includes the following: Body composition by DEXA (Hologic); Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue biopsy; blood work. Subjects who do not lose 5% of their baseline weight by the end of Phase I will be withdrawn from the study. If subjects do not lose 5% in Phase I, they will be considered inappropriate for a liquid diet, and therefore for the study, and will be discontinued from the study. Phase II, 6 weeks: Continued weight loss program during phase II, subjects will be maintained on the same diet, supplements and exercise program. Once patients enter Phase II, all baseline lab measurements will be repeated. Needle biopsies of subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue will be obtained at the beginning and at at the end of Phase II. Finger-stick blood glucose levels will be checked weekly. At the end of Phase II, and of the study, fasting blood work will be obtained. At the end of Phase II, the following procedures will be performed: Subcutaneous abdominal adipose tissue biopsy (total = 3). Body composition by DEXA (Hologic) (total = 2).