Using engineering principles to help maintain weight loss
Official title: Control Systems Engineering to Address the Problem of Weight Loss Maintenance: A System Identification Experiment to Model Behavioral & Psychosocial Factors Measured by Ecological Momentary Assessment
Run by The Miriam Hospital · NCT06244888 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is testing a new way to help people keep off the weight they lost by using technology to track their habits and give them support when they're at risk of gaining it back.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 2 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years to 70 Years |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 180 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | The Miriam Hospital Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Providence, Rhode Island) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | February 26, 2024 |
| Main results expected | December 31, 2027 |
| Study ends | December 31, 2027 |
| Registry record updated | April 2, 2024 |
| Trial ID | NCT06244888 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Ideal candidates are adults with a BMI between 25 and 50 who can walk 2 city blocks and own a smartphone.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with significant heart conditions, those currently on weight loss medications, or individuals who have recently lost a substantial amount of weight may not benefit from this study.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This project utilizes control systems engineering to create a model that predicts weight changes during weight loss maintenance. Participants will undergo a 6-month behavioral treatment to achieve weight loss, followed by a 12-month monitoring period using daily smartphone surveys and passive sensing to track behaviors. The data collected will inform a controller algorithm designed to identify when individuals are at risk of regaining weight and the factors contributing to this risk. Interventions targeting specific risk indicators will be randomly administered based on the data collected.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could provide a personalized method for maintaining weight loss and preventing obesity relapse.
How similar studies have gone: While the application of control systems engineering in weight management is innovative, similar behavioral interventions have shown promise in other studies.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * English language fluent and literate at the 6th grade level * Body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 50 kg/m-squared * Able to walk 2 city blocks without stopping * Owns a smartphone Exclusion Criteria: * Report of a heart condition, chest pain during periods of activity or rest, or loss of consciousness in the 12 months prior to enrolling. * Currently participating in another weight loss program * Currently taking weight loss medication * Has lost ≥5% of body weight in the 6 months prior to enrolling * Has been pregnant within the 6 months prior to enrolling * Plans to become pregnant within 18 months of enrolling * Any medical condition that would affect the safety of participating in unsupervised physical activity * Any condition that would result in inability to follow the study protocol, including terminal illness and untreated major psychiatric illness
Where it's running
-
Miriam Hospital Weight Control and Diabetes Resarch Center
Providence, Rhode Island, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Sharon O'Toole, M.A.T.
- Email: sotoole@lifespan.org
- Phone: 401 793-8992
Similar studies
Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.
-
Nutrition support to improve dietary diversity in adults who are underweight or overweight/obese
A community-based nutrition program will be tested in adults in Cambodia to see if it improves dietary diversity and if the program is acceptable and feasible to run.
-
Hesperidin for better thinking in overweight older adults
In adults aged 55–75 who are overweight, taking hesperidin or a placebo for 10 weeks will show whether the citrus flavonoid can improve thinking skills like memory, attention, and problem-solving.
-
MR-based performance tests for overweight and obesity
This study tests mixed reality versions of mobility tests to see if they match conventional assessments in adults who are overweight or obese.
-
DA-302168S in adults with overweight or obesity
A phase 3 trial in China is testing whether DA-302168S helps people who are overweight or obese lose weight compared with a placebo.
-
Metabolic Health Trajectories in Overweight Chinese Adults
This observational study follows overweight and obese Chinese adults to see how metabolic health changes over five years and whether people stay healthy, develop diabetes, or have complications.
-
Blood-count inflammation scores (SII and SIRI) to predict metabolic complications in adults with overweight or obesity
This project will test whether two blood-count-based scores (SII and SIRI) can help predict metabolic complications and treatment response in adults with overweight or obesity.
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.