Optimizing personal lifestyle support for adults on next-gen obesity drugs
Official title: An efficient factorial design to optimize behavioral changes and improve health outcomes in adults prescribed next-generation obesity medications
Funded at University of Virginia · NIH-11449807 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A big study will test which parts of a lifestyle program help adults taking new obesity medications do better in weight and health over a year.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Virginia NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Charlottesville, United States) |
| Project start | August 21, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $744,590 |
| NIH project number | 1R01DK144066-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11449807 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults (21+) with obesity or overweight plus weight-related conditions who are prescribed second-generation anti-obesity medications by their healthcare providers.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not using or eligible for these specific medications or without access to the associated lifestyle components may see limited benefit.
What this research studies
This project will recruit adults with obesity who are using second-generation anti-obesity medications and randomly assign them to receive or not receive five different lifestyle support components over 12 months. The components form a 2x2x2x2x2 factorial design to find the most effective combination for improving health outcomes. The goal is to tailor behavioral coaching and education to maximize benefits beyond medication alone, aligning real-world practice with guidelines. Participants will be followed to observe how lifestyle support interacts with the medications to affect weight, health metrics, and adherence.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the study could identify the most impactful lifestyle support strategies to pair with anti-obesity medications, helping patients achieve better weight and health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: Prior trials have shown that lifestyle support enhances outcomes when combined with obesity medications, but optimal components and their combination are not yet clear.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Krukowski, Rebecca a. — University of Virginia
- Study coordinator: Krukowski, Rebecca a.
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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.