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Phase 2 N=34 Randomized Single-blind Treatment

Biological Effects of Weight Loss In Older, Obese Women

Obesity · Sarcopenia

Enrolled (actual)
34
Serious AEs
0.0%
Results posted
Jun 2012
Primary outcome: Primary: Performance on the 400 Meter Walk — 0.16; 0.02 meters per second — p=<0.05

Study Design & Population

Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase 2
Interventions
Lifestyle Counseling (Behavioral); Educational Control (Other)
Age
Adult, Older Adult · 55+ yrs
Sex
Female
Sponsor
University of Florida
Primary completion
Aug 2009

Outcome Measures

OutcomeResultp-value
PRIMARY
Performance on the 400 Meter Walk
0.16; 0.02 <0.05 sig
SECONDARY
Body Weight
-5.95; -0.23 <0.05 sig
SECONDARY
Short Physical Performance Battery
1.82; 0.8 <0.05 sig
SECONDARY
Knee Extension Maximum Isokinetic Strength (Weight Lifted in Kilograms).
4.33; 3.95 <0.05 sig
SECONDARY
Mitochondrial Function (Cox IV Subunit)
1.65; 1.21 <0.05 sig

Summary

Obesity and sedentary lifestyle are associated with physical impairments and biological changes in older adults. Weight loss combined with exercise may reduce inflammation and may improve physical functioning in older adults who are overweight or obese and sedentary. However, the mechanisms by which weight change and exercise influence physical functioning and sarcopenia remain largely understudied. ions). In the WL+E group, participants attended a group-based weight management session plus three supervised exercise sessions each week throughout the entire study. During each exercise session, participants engaged in both aerobic activities (i.e., walking) and lower body resistance training of moderate intensity. The participants in the educational control group attended monthly health education lectures on topics relevant to older adults. It was hypothesized that participants assigned to the WL+E intervention would 1) lose a larger amount of weight, 2) improve their physical function levels, and 3) reduce levels of oxidative stress and inflammation to a greater degree than participants assigned to the Educational Control group. Outcomes are: 1) body weight, 2) walking speed (assessed by 400 meter walk test), 3) the Short Physical Performance Battery [SPPB], and 4) knee extension isokinetic strength. The objectives of this pilot study are fourfold: 1) to demonstrate the feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy of the proposed WL+E intervention in a sample of 40 sedentary, obese older adults with impaired physical functioning; 2) to examine the biological effects of the intervention on inflammatory processes, oxidative stress, apoptosis, sarcopenia, muscle and body composition, muscle strength, and functional performance; 3) to determine whether the expected beneficial effects of the WL+E intervention on physical functioning are mediated by changes in inflammation, apoptosis, and sarcopenia; and 4) to determine the effect size of the WL+E intervention on key outcomes and provide the basis for sample size calculations in the planning of a larger RCT.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

  • African American or Caucasian Female
  • Age between 55 - 79 years
  • BMI > 28 kg/m2
  • sedentary lifestyle (defined as 300 lbs.
  • Weight loss > 10 lbs. within the past 6 months
  • History of surgery for weight loss
  • Hospitalization with the past 6 months
  • Significant underlying disease likely to limit lifespan and/or increase risk of interventions (cancer or any condition with a life expectancy 160/90 mmHg, fasting blood glucose > 160 mg/dl, fasting triglycerides > 400 mg/dl; patients on medication for hypertension, diabetes, or hyperlipidemia will not be excluded unless their values suggest "poor control").
  • Medication exclusions (Antipsychotic agents; monoamine oxidase inhibitors; systemic corticosteroids; antibiotics for HIV or TB; chemotherapeutic drugs; or current use of prescription weight-loss drugs).
  • Physical limitations likely to prevent exercise participation (use of walker; breathing problems that limit physical activity).
  • Conditions or behaviors likely to affect the conduct of the trial (e.g., unwilling or unable to give informed consent; unwilling to accept random assignment; likely to move out of area within next 2 years; unable to attend weekly meetings; unwilling to complete paperwork; participation in another randomized research project; unwilling or unable to comply with study requirements or schedule)
  • Contraindications to MRI (MR-incompatible implants or severe claustrophobia).
  • Contraindications to muscle biopsy (i.e., lidocaine allergy)
  • Presence of any other medical condition, which in the opinion of the research staff, would be incompatible with participation in the weight loss plus exercise program.
View full record on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Data sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01032733). Outcome figures and adverse-event rates are extracted automatically from the registry's posted results and are provided for clinician reference, not as a substitute for the primary publication.

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