Human-centered design to improve coaching for small weight regain during weight loss maintenance
Official title: Human-Centered Design of a Behavioral Intervention to Reverse Small Weight Regains during Weight Loss Maintenance
Funded at Miriam Hospital · NIH-11372281 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small, patient-friendly coaching program is being refined to help people bounce back quickly after a tiny weight regain during weight loss maintenance.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R03 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miriam Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | June 15, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $111,750 |
| NIH project number | 5R03DK142991-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11372281 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults who have previously completed a behavioral weight loss program and are at risk of early weight regain.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not engaged in a weight loss program or those with conditions that require specialized obesity treatment may not benefit from this coaching refinement.
What this research studies
This project aims to make a brief phone coaching intervention more effective at helping people return to their weight loss behaviors after a small regain. Using a four-phase human-centered design process, researchers will tailor the coaching to real patient needs and preferences. The goal is to maximize long-term weight maintenance by enabling quicker recovery from early slips in behavior.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could experience more sustainable weight loss maintenance through easier and timely behavioral support after small weight regain.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed that phone coaching improved weight metrics during coaching but did not sustain differences at 12 months, indicating room for improvement with design-driven refinements.
Where this research is happening
-
Miriam Hospital
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hayes, Jacqueline F — Miriam Hospital
- Study coordinator: Hayes, Jacqueline F
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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.