CARE Trial: Comparing Different Levels of Calorie Reduction for Weight Loss

NCT ID: NCT02736669

Last Updated: 2025-12-17

Study Results

Results pending

The study team has not published outcome measurements, participant flow, or safety data for this trial yet. Check back later for updates.

Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

223 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2015-10-31

Study Completion Date

2025-12-01

Brief Summary

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This research study will compare two weight loss programs that provide different recommendations for how to reduce your energy (or calorie) intake to achieve weight loss in an effort to determine if fixed calorie reduction or varied calorie reduction is more effective for weight loss.

Detailed Description

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Conditions

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Overweight Obesity

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

PARALLEL

Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

SINGLE

Outcome Assessors

Study Groups

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Fixed Energy (or Calorie) Reduction

Participants randomly assigned to this arm will be instructed to reduce their food intake by a moderate amount and stay at this level of moderate reduction until their weight loss goal is achieved.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Energy Reduction

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Variable Energy (or Calorie) Reduction

Participants randomly assigned to this arm will be instructed to alternate between two levels of calorie reduction. One level will be a small amount of calorie reduction, while the other will be a more significant amount of calorie reduction. At the instruction of the research team, participants will periodically alternate back and forth between these two goals until their weight loss goal is achieved.

Group Type EXPERIMENTAL

Energy Reduction

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Interventions

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Energy Reduction

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

* Age 21-75
* Body mass index (BMI) 30-50 kg/m2

Exclusion Criteria

* Uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure \>160/100 mm Hg)
* Any of the following other medical conditions: myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident within the last six months; unstable angina within the past six months; congestive heart failure; cancer requiring treatment in past five years (exception: non-melanoma skin cancer); serious infectious diseases (e.g., self-reported HIV); chronic hepatitis; cirrhosis; chronic malabsorption syndrome; chronic pancreatitis; chronic lung diseases or orthopedic problems that limit physical activity
* Current use of any of the following medications: antipsychotic agents, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, systemic corticosteroids, antibiotics for HIV or TB, or chemotherapeutic drugs; prescription weight loss medications (past six months)
* Unwilling or unable to do any of the following: give informed consent; read English at the 5th grade level; accept random assignment; travel to the intervention site
* Likely to relocate out of the area in the next 2 years
* Participation in another randomized research project
* Weight loss \> 10 pounds in past six months
* History of bariatric surgery
* Major depressive or psychiatric disorder, or excessive alcohol intake
* Potential participants living farther than 30 miles driving distance from UAB will be excluded from the study.
* Potential participants (female) that are pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the next 18 months will be excluded from participation in the study. This is a weight loss study and weight gain/loss due to pregnancy and/or delivery would confound study results. Additionally, weight loss is not recommended for pregnant women.
Minimum Eligible Age

21 Years

Maximum Eligible Age

75 Years

Eligible Sex

ALL

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

NIH

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Alabama at Birmingham

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Gareth R. Dutton PhD

Associate Professor

Responsibility Role PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

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Gareth R Dutton, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Alabama at Birmingham, Department of Medicine, Division of Preventive Medicine

Locations

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University of Alabama at Birmingham, Medical Towers Building

Birmingham, Alabama, United States

Site Status

Countries

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United States

Other Identifiers

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R01DK103863

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

IRB-150303008

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id