Understanding Why Weight Comes Back After Losing It
Official title: Predicting Weight Regain Following Weight Loss Using Physiological Measures of Appetite and Energy Expenditure
Funded at Drexel University · NIH-11334136 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to understand why people regain weight after successfully losing it, by looking at how their body's appetite and metabolism change.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Drexel University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Philadelphia, United States) |
| Project start | April 24, 2021 |
| Project end | March 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,127,574 |
| NIH project number | 3UH3DK128298-05S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11334136 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are individuals interested in participating in a weight loss program who are willing to undergo physiological assessments.
✕Less likely to help
Patients not interested in a structured weight loss program or who are not able to commit to follow-up assessments may not receive direct benefit from this particular opportunity.
What this research studies
Many people struggle to keep weight off after losing it, and this project wants to find out why. We will recruit 100 individuals for a weight loss program and carefully measure changes in their body's energy use and how their brain responds to food. By tracking these changes, we hope to identify specific physical signals that can predict who might regain weight. This information could help us develop better strategies to maintain weight loss in the future.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to new ways to predict and prevent weight regain, helping individuals maintain their weight loss long-term.
How similar studies have gone: While behavioral weight loss programs are common, understanding the specific physiological predictors of weight regain is an ongoing area of active investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
Drexel University
Philadelphia, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lowe, Michael R — Drexel University
- Study coordinator: Lowe, Michael R
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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.