Ongoing Research
Currently Recruiting
Neuroimaging Research Study
We are seeking women who are interested in how the brain responds to food. You may qualify to participate if you are:
- Female over the age of 18
- At least 50 pounds overweight
- Non-diabetic
- Non-smoking
This research study involves three visits over an 18 month period to the Clinical and Translational Research Center at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania for MRI brain scans and blood draws. Participants will be compensated for their time.
For more information and to see if you are eligible to participate, please contact:
Emily VanderMeer
Center for Weight and Eating Disorders
University of Pennsylvania, School of Medicine
(215) 746-7342
vemily@mail.med.upenn.edu
Lifestyle Modification versus Bariatric Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes
We are seeking men and women who are considering bariatric surgery for weight loss. To be eligible to participate in this research study, candidates must be at least 18 to 65 years of age, with a BMI of between 30 to 40 kg/m2 and have type 2 diabetes. Participants will be randomly assigned to: Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass surgery; Laparoscopic Adjustable Gastric Banding surgery; or an intensive nonsurgical weight loss program, which includes lifestyle modification, meal replacements, and potentially an FDA-approved weight loss medication which are all standard of care for obesity treatment. This study will compare the benefits of different bariatric surgeries to each other and to a non-surgical weight loss program in terms of both weight loss as well as improvements in type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors.
Participation in the study involves visits to the Center for Translational Research at Hospital of University of Pennsylvania prior to having surgery or starting the intensive weight loss program, after a 10% weight loss, and at 6 and 12 months after the start of treatment. Participants will be compensated for their time.
Please contact Jacque Spitzer, Clinical Research Coordinator, at (215) 746-1281 or email jspitzer@mail.med.upenn.edu to obtain more information about the study and find out if you are eligible to participate.
Sibling Study
Dr. Tanja Kral
We are currently seeking same-sex siblings (both boys and girls) who are between 5 and 12 years of age and their mother to participate in a nutrition study which examines eating behavior among siblings.
The study involves 4 visits to our Center at 3535 Market Street. Test visits 1, 2 and 3 will last approximately 2 hours each and will be scheduled one evening a week for three weeks. The fourth visit will be scheduled during the day and will last approximately 1 hour. All meals and compensation are provided. If interested, call 215-746-2061 (Option 1) for more information.
Ongoing Research (Closed to recruitment/recruiting from direct referrals):
CHEF: Cooking Healthy to Eat Fewer Fatty Foods
PI: Chanelle T. Bishop-Gilyard, PsyD
The goal of the CHEF study is to determine the best way to help 12-16 year old girls lose weight and improve their eating and activity habits. The study will compare two approaches for helping teens learn ways to eat a healthier diet to lose weight. All teens will follow a reduced calorie, nutritionally-balanced diet. Both programs will be provided to groups of 8 to 10 teens. Parent participation is required. Thus, we expect 20 teens (and one of their parents) to participate in this treatment research study over the course of 12 weeks. You may be eligible if you are:
- Overweight
- Between 12 and 16 years of age
- A female non-smoker
- Free of significant health problems
- Live no more than 40 minutes from The University of Pennsylvania
In addition to receiving weight loss treatment at no cost, participants will be compensated for their time. For more information, call Chanelle at 215 746-7180 or email: chaneltb@mail.med.upenn.edu.
FIT-MOM: Fresh and Innovative Treatments for Maternal Overweight Management (FIT-MOM Study)
PI: Kelly C. Allison, Ph.D.
The goal of the FIT-MOM study is to test a program which is designed to assist expecting mothers with a BMI of > 25 kg/m2 in gaining a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy. Participants will enter the study by 16 weeks of pregnancy and will be involved until delivery. Study staff will collect data from medical records about delivery and the 6-week postpartum check-up. We expect a total of 42 women to participate in this study over the course of one year. Recruitment is taking place at the Helen O. Dickens Center for Women and UPenn OBGYN and Midwifery Care (POGA). Compensation will be provided. For more information, call 215-573-5502 or e-mail Stacia Studt.
Psychosocial Changes After Weight Loss
Dr. David Sarwer
We are currently seeking men and women between the ages of 18-65 who have been in a romantic, committed relationship for at least one year to participate in a study on psychosocial changes that occur after weight loss. Eligible people will participate in an evening weight loss program that will meet weekly for 16 weeks. Before beginning the program, and once per year for fours year after beginning the program, you will receive assessments including questionnaires and a blood test. You will receive compensation at each assessment point, and the weight loss treatment is free. Additional compensation may also be available. If you are interested in learning more about this study, please call Jacque at 215-746-1281 or e-mail: jspitzer@mail.med.upenn.edu.
Brain Imaging and Treatment Studies of the Night Eating Syndrome
Dr. Kelly Allison and Dr. Albert Stunkard
We are recruiting participants for a research study who have night eating syndrome as well as healthy control participants. We are examining a neurotransmitter in the brain and its relationship to the effectiveness of a medication on symptoms of night eating syndrome. All participants will undergo an initial assessment and a brain scan. Compensation will be provided. Participants with night eating syndrome will then be administered a trial of a medication that is currently approved for treating depression and anxiety. This study is closed to recruitment.
Weight Loss and Fertility Study
Dr. David Sarwer
We are currently seeking women between the ages of 18 and 45 who are overweight, are not on hormonal birth control, and are not planning on becoming pregnant in the next year to volunteer to participate in a behavioral weight loss study at the University of Pennsylvania. Previous research has shown that some women experience improvements in their markers of fertility after weight loss. This study will compare the fertility changes in women who lose weight through our behavioral weight loss treatment to women who lose weight through bariatric surgery. All behavioral weight loss participants will be assessed three times over the course of a year and will attend weight loss sessions over the course of 40 weeks at no cost. Participants will be in this study for one year.
If you are interested in learning more about this study, please call Jacque at 215-746-1281 or e-mail: jspitzer@mail.med.upenn.edu.
Behavioral Factors in the Surgical Treatment of Obesity
Dr. Thomas A. Wadden
This study is examining the effect of binge eating disorder on the outcome of weight loss surgery (bariatric surgery). Participants must have already elected to undergo surgery in order to participate. Diet and exercise counseling is available for persons with binge eating disorder who do not see bariatric surgery.
A Study of Two Weight Loss Approaches
Dr. Thomas Wadden
This study tests the outcomes of two dietary approaches to weight loss for overweight adults. The duration of treatment is 12-months.
Adolescent Obesity Study
Dr. Bob Berkowitz
The University of Pennsylvania's Center for Weight and Eating Disorders has been awarded a grant from the National Institutes of Health to study adolescent obesity. The program is enrolling teenagers ages 13-17 and their parents to join a free weight loss treatment study involving behavior modification and a weight loss medication.
Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes)
Dr. Thomas A. Wadden
This 16-site, NIH-funded study will examine the benefits of a lifestyle intervention on overweight men and women with Type 2 Diabetes over 11 years (until 2012). The study is closed to new enrollment.
Postoperative Dietary Counseling After Bariatric Surgery
Dr. David Sarwer
We are conducting a study funded by the National Institutes of Health investigating the effects of postoperative dietary counseling after gastric bypass surgery. Participants in the study will be randomly assigned to one of two conditions. Half of the participants will receive standard postoperative care. This will included coming back to the surgeon's office for scheduled visits as well as the availability of the Program's support groups and website. Half will meet every other week, for 16 weeks after surgery, with the program dietician for 30 minutes. These sessions will be designed to help assist patients in adjusting to the postoperative diet. All participants will be followed for a total of 18 months. This study is no longer recruiting.
