Pediatric Obesity Clinical Trials

This longitudinal study tests the hypothesis that obesity affects drug pharmacology of acid suppression medications in children. Read Less

High food motivation among children is trait-like and increases risks of unhealthy dietary intake and obesity. Scientific knowledge of how parenting can best support healthy eating habits and growth among children who are predisposed to overeating is surprisingly limited. This investigation will identify supportive food parenting approaches for obesity prevention that address the needs of highly food motivated children. Read Less

Many adolescents find it challenging to adhere to conventional treatment for pediatric obesity because they require daily calorie counting, easy access to fresh food, and the ability to change the home environment. As such, adherence is poor which limits efficacy. One simpler and promising approach is limiting the timing of eating, instead of changing the food quality or quantity. This approach is called, Time-restricted eating (TRE) and involves eating over an 8- to 10-hour eating window and fasting for the remainder of the day. Read Less

Studying the causal roles of components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (including angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-(1-7)), angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), Ang II, and ACE), uric acid, and klotho in pediatric hypertension and related target organ injury, including in the heart, kidneys, vasculature, and brain. Recruiting children with a new hypertension diagnosis over a 2-year period from the Hypertension and Pediatric Nephrology Clinics affiliated with Brenner Children's Hospital at Atrium Health Wake Forest Baptist and Atrium Health Levine Children's Hospital. Healthy control participants will be recruited from local general primary care practices. Collecting blood and urine samples to analyze components of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (Ang-(1-7), ACE2, Ang II, ACE), uric acid, and klotho, and measuring blood pressure, heart structure and function, autonomic function, vascular function, and kidney function at baseline, year 1, and year 2. Objectives are to investigate phenotypic and treatment response variability and to causally infer if Ang-(1-7), ACE2, Ang II, ACE, uric acid, and klotho contribute to target organ injury due to hypertension. Read Less

As the prevalence of obesity rises in the U.S., so does the incidence of pediatric type 2 diabetes (T2D), which is associated with more aggressive disease progression than in adults. From 2002-2012, the incidence of T2D in youth increased by 7% annually in the U.S. Compared to adults. T2D in adolescents is a much more progressive and recalcitrant disease, characterized by more rapid deterioration of β-cell function and earlier incidence of exogenous insulin dependence and diabetes-related comorbidities. A potential factor that drives the rapid progression of adolescent T2D is obesity (body mass index [BMI] >95th percentile. Effective and safe treatments targeting both obesity and β-cell dysfunction are needed for pediatric T2D. In 2012, the FDA approved the use of Phentermine/Topiramate for the treatment of obesity in adults. This orally-administered medication is available in mid- (phentermine 7.5 mg; topiramate 46 mg) and high- (phentermine 15 mg; topiramate 92 mg) doses, administered once per day. In a meta-analysis, phentermine/topiramate was shown to be one of the most effective obesity medication currently available. A large dose-ranging trial in adults evaluating phentermine and topiramate as monotherapies vs. phentermine/topiramate demonstrated superior efficacy of the combination with an acceptable safety profile. Results from a large phase III clinical trial demonstrated placebo-subtracted weight loss of >9% with treatment for one year at the top dose. Importantly, a separate trial demonstrated that the treatment effect is durable out to at least two years.41 The most common side effects in these trials were paresthesia, dizziness, dysgeusia, insomnia, constipation, and dry mouth. Improvements were noted in blood pressure, lipids, glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR, C-reactive protein, and adiponectin. Read Less

This study will test the hypothesis that metabolic bariatric surgery will be more effective at providing durable glycemic control and reduce co-morbidities than intensive medical therapy in youth with type 2 diabetes. Read Less

This is a single-center, randomized, SHAM-controlled, parallel assignment, double-masked,8-week interventional study among children aged 8-17 years (not yet 18 years old) of age with obesity and asthma. (n=60), recruited from Duke Health Center Creekstone, to test the effectiveness of inspiratory muscle rehabilitation (IMR) as an acceptable add-on intervention to reduce dyspnea (feeling short-of-breath or breathless) and to promote greater activity in children with obesity and asthma. Clinic to test the effectiveness of inspiratory muscle rehabilitation (IMR) as an acceptable add-on intervention to reduce dyspnea (feeling short-of-breath or breathless) and to promote greater activity in children with obesity Read Less

This study is a type-1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation RCT comparing a novel family-inclusive childhood obesity treatment program, the "Healthy Living Program" (HeLP), to a protocol that enhances usual primary care to deliver Recommended Treatment of Obesity in Primary Care (RTOP). Children with obesity and their families will be referred to the study by primary care providers and randomized to HeLP or RTOP. The clinical setting is a practice-based research network serving majority Hispanic and Medicaid-insured populations. The intensive phase and booster sessions of HeLP will take place at recreation centers located near the clinics and will be led by health educators employed by the clinics. Visits with primary care providers (PCPs) for HeLP maintenance or RTOP will occur at the clinics. Read Less

The impact of breastfeeding on the infant microbiome in vaginally and Cesarean delivered offspring from obese and normal weight mothers. Read Less

The proposed project will test an implementation strategy (the "TrailGuide") for delivering an existing model of pediatric obesity treatment ("Fit Together") that has demonstrated ability to meet published recommendations for improving health outcomes of children with obesity. Read Less

Because of its simplicity, TLE may represent a more feasible approach for adolescents than other caloric restriction regimens based on macronutrient composition and kilocalories. Our preliminary data support TLE feasibility, acceptability, and safety in adolescents with obesity, with and without T2D. However, no trial to date has studied the effects of TLE on glycemic control and body composition in adolescents with T2D. Our long-term goal is to determine whether TLE is a beneficial as part of the medical regimen early in diagnosis in adolescents living with T2D, and if so, to identify: 1) participant characteristics associated with positive response, 2) mechanisms by which TLE operates, and 2) the best methods to administer TLE to maximally harness its effects. Therefore, the aim of this study will be to compare cardiometabolic effects of TLE (8-hr eating period/16-hr of daily fasting) versus a prolonged eating period (12+hour eating period) in a randomized pilot study with careful control of timely compliance, dietary composition, calorie intake, and physical activity to accurately capture the dosage of the intervention received. We hypothesize that TLE will minimize glycemic excursions, delay β-cell deterioration, and reduce body fat mass in adolescents with T2D when compared to prolonged eating periods. One-hundred adolescents with T2D will be recruited. All participants will be randomized to one of two meal-timing schedules to be followed for 12 weeks: (1) Control: >12-hour eating period or (2) TLE. Read Less