Understanding how the body works after weight loss to keep it off
Official title: The Physiology of the Weight Reduced State Data Coordinating Center
Funded at University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh · NIH-11554840 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This grant funds a coordinated effort to study why some people keep weight off after losing it, by tracking health data and biology in adults who undergo a weight loss program.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Pittsburgh, United States) |
| Project start | April 21, 2021 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $750,000 |
| NIH project number | 5U24DK128125-06 |
| Project ID | NIH-11554840 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults with overweight or obesity who complete a weight loss program and are able to participate in a year-long weight maintenance follow-up.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals unable to participate in a long-term follow-up or with conditions preventing sustained weight loss interventions may not benefit.
What this research studies
A consortium including clinical centers and a data coordinating center will implement a weight loss program for adults with overweight or obesity and follow participants for at least 12 months during weight maintenance. The study will collect behavioral data, biospecimens, and various outcomes to explore how physiology, metabolism, and behavior influence sustained weight loss. There will be common measures across sites, with some sites adding more detailed mechanistic assessments. Ancillary studies may use the collected data and samples to broaden understanding of weight maintenance.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, findings could improve how we support long-term weight maintenance and personalize interventions.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research has shown that integrated behavioral and physiological studies can reveal factors that influence weight maintenance, though this specific coordinated consortium approach is being developed.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Belle, Steven H. — University of Pittsburgh at Pittsburgh
- Study coordinator: Belle, Steven H.
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.