Controlling loss-of-control (binge) eating and weight after bariatric surgery
Official title: Using a SMART Design to Examine Pharmacological and Behavioral Treatments to Treat Loss-of-Control Eating and Improve Weight Outcomes after Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11168704 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers behavioral counseling and a medication option to help adults who have loss-of-control eating after weight-loss surgery keep weight off.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 22, 2020 |
| Project end | August 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $663,866 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DK126637-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11168704 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) who have had metabolic or bariatric surgery and are experiencing loss-of-control eating episodes are the ideal candidates for this trial.
✕Less likely to help
People who have not had bariatric surgery, do not have loss-of-control eating, are under 21, or who cannot take the study medication likely would not benefit from participation.
What this research studies
You would join a two-stage, adaptive trial designed for adults who had metabolic or bariatric surgery and now have episodes of loss-of-control eating. In the first stage, 160 participants are randomly assigned, in a double-blind 2x2 design, to one of four 16-week combinations of a behavioral weight-management program and a medication or matching placebo. The study then adapts treatment in a second stage based on how people respond, to find which sequences work best. Visits and assessments will track eating behavior and weight over time to see which treatments help most.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce binge-like eating and lower the chance of weight regain after bariatric surgery.
How similar studies have gone: Behavioral treatments adapted from binge-eating and obesity work have shown promise, but randomized trials testing medications to treat loss-of-control eating after bariatric surgery are lacking, so this approach is partly novel.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grilo, Carlos M — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Grilo, Carlos M
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.