Fasted versus fed aerobic exercise for weight loss and heart health
Official title: Fasted vs. Fed State Exercise for Cardiovascular Health and Weight Loss
Run by Arkansas Colleges of Health Education · NCT07487090 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This 16-week program will see if doing aerobic exercise before breakfast (fasted) versus after eating helps adults with overweight or obesity lose more weight and improve heart-related measures.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years to 59 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Fort Smith, Arkansas) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | January 5, 2026 |
| Main results expected | July 2027 |
| Study ends | December 2027 |
| Registry record updated | March 23, 2026 |
| Trial ID | NCT07487090 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults aged 18–59 with BMI 25–45 who are generally healthy, not currently exercising more than once per week, not on weight-loss medications or diets, and without diabetes or heart disease are ideal candidates.
✕Probably not a fit
People with diabetes, diagnosed heart disease, prior weight-loss surgery, current use of weight-loss drugs or supplements, or those already exercising regularly are excluded or unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
Adults with BMI 25–45 and aged 18–59 who are healthy enough to exercise will be assigned to perform a guidelines-based aerobic training program in either the fasted (before breakfast) or fed (after eating) state for 16 weeks. The study will measure changes in body composition by DXA, energy compensation, blood pressure, blood lipids, aerobic fitness, and substrate oxidation (resting and activity RQ). It will also measure physiological hunger signals after a standardized meal and behavioral factors that influence eating (food reinforcement and attentional bias) to understand compensatory eating. Investigators hypothesize that exercise timing may alter weight loss and related cardiovascular adaptations through effects on energy compensation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could identify a simple, low-cost way to improve weight loss and cardiovascular risk factors by changing when people do their aerobic exercise.
How similar studies have gone: Short-term studies suggest fasted exercise increases fat oxidation, but long-term effects on weight loss and cardiovascular outcomes have not been established, so this approach is largely untested over 16 weeks.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * Aged 18-59 * BMI 25-45 * Healthy enough to exercise Exclusion Criteria: * Taking medications or supplements that are known to influence energy expenditure, * Currently exercising more than once per week * Currently dieting for weight loss * Currently taking weight loss drugs * Have had a previous weight loss surgery * Currently diagnosed with Diabetes * Currently diagnosed with heart disease (Heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled hypercholesterolemia, Coronary heart disease)
Where it's running
-
Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Research Institure Health and Wellness Center
Fort Smith, Arkansas, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Kyle D Flack, PhD
- Email: kyle.flack@achehealth.edu
- Phone: (479) 434-4019
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.