Active clinical trials for "Obesity"

The goal of this study is to determine why some obese individuals develop insulin resistance and others do not. We hypothesize that an impairment in differentiation of fat cells (adipocytes) is responsible for the development of insulin resistance in select obese individuals. This study will evaluate obese individuals at baseline with respect to characteristics of adipocytes, including gene expression, and will then entail randomizing subjects to either weight loss or treatment with an insulin sensitizing drug (pioglitazone). Changes in insulin resistance will be associated with changes in adipocyte morphology and gene expression.

This study will find how weight affects the dosing of a drug called caspofungin. Currently, the amount of caspofungin a patient receives is the same regardless of the patient's weight.

This study is designed to study the pathways through which short sleep duration or poor sleep quality can lead to an increased risk of developing diabetes and obesity.

The purpose of this study is to determine if interruption in gastric-adipose tissue axis signaling contributes to early improvements in oxidative stress, insulin sensitivity, and inflammation, and to determine if interruption of the stomach in RYGB results in reduction of plasma acylated ghrelin (AG) and in an altered acylated ghrelin:unacylated ghrelin (AG:UAG) ratio which may contribute to decreased oxidative stress and improved insulin sensitivity.

Gut microbiota ecology is altered in obesity and could link obesity and its complications. Bariatric surgery enables a major and sustained weight loss therefore improving obesity related disease. the investigators primary aim is to evaluate gut microbiota adaptation to weight loss and the specific role of energetic restriction. Furthermore we aim to compare gut flora of obese patients post bariatric surgery to that of lean healthy volunteers. Thus, the investigators plan to compare gut microbiota from 140 obese individuals before and after either restrictive (gastric banding) procedures or gastric bypass procedures to that of 40 lean healthy volunteers at baseline.

Obesity is a frequent disease with an increased prevalence, estimated to 12.4% in France (OBEPI study 2006). Non alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and non alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) both complicate morbid obesity and could be responsible for the development of liver fibrosis and consequently of liver cirrhosis. Bariatric surgery has been widely used in obese patients to reduce their weight but also to decrease morbidity conditions related to obesity. It could be involved in an improvement in liver lesions observed in obese patients. To evaluate the severity of liver lesions, the gold standard is pathological examination of the liver using percutaneous or surgical biopsies, with a scoring called Fibrosis score stage. Alternative less invasive techniques have been developed to evaluate liver lesions. These tests are commonly used in clinical hepatology and consisted of serum levels determination of fibrosis markers (Fibrotest, Transthyretin). The aim of this study is to evaluate the evolution of fibrosis scores during weight loss in a population of patients operated on for morbid obesity ( BMI > 40kg/m2 or BMI> 35kg/m2 with comorbidity). The primary end point is to evaluate the concordance between Fibrotest and transthyretin serum levels. The number of patients has been calculated on the basis of a concordance ( Kendall test) superior to 70% in patients with grade F1 fibrosis that represents about 40% of morbid obese patients. A total of 255 patients has to be enrolled in this study. According to the number of patients operated on in the 3 centres (>150/year), the time for recruitment is 12 months. Secondary end points will evaluate in these patients the excess weight loss, the improvement in fibrosis liver tests and the correlation with improvement in other obesity- related conditions, according to surgical procedures.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether the level of FOXA2 expression in fat tissue is a biomarker of insulin resistance. To test this hypothesis, we will perform euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps in normal and obese human subjects to calculate insulin sensitivity, and see if insulin sensitivity correlates with the FOXA2 expression in subcutaneous fat.

The purpose of this study is to identify significant racial and ethnical differences in risk factors for development of obesity and weight loss in adolescents in Central Virginia

Objective: Obesity amongst children is a public health issue in the United States and is rising at an alarming rate. The purpose of this study is to determine if there is any correlation between At Risk body weight (overweight and obese) and immediate health of the pediatric population. Methodology: As part of routine patient care, we measured length in addition to weight of patients 2 years to 18 years of age presenting to the pediatric emergency department. A report was run monthly to calculate the BMI of all patients for whom data is available. The data were plotted on the year 2000 gender based BMI for age percentile growth charts from CDC. A retrospective electronic chart review was conducted for patients At Risk body weight (BMI ≥ 85%), and were compared to "control" or healthy (BMI of 25 - 75 %) group for six groups of final ED diagnoses of infectious diseases.

This study will explore factors that affect obesity and obesity-related diseases in both Caucasians and African Americans. By looking at the rate at which the human body burns calories while at rest (resting energy expenditure, or REE) and at the rate at which fat travels through the blood (fatty acid flux), this study will examine the relationship between REE and fatty acid flux, both of which are determinants of obesity. Researchers will compare the test results of Caucasians and African Americans to determine if race has an effect on the relationship between REE and fatty acid flux. Volunteers must be between 18 and 49 years of age. Equal numbers of typical weight, overweight, and obese participants will be recruited. Candidates will be screened with a physical examination, electrocardiogram, and blood tests, and will be interviewed about diet and exercise habits, family and medical history, and employment. Participants will be placed on a two-week maintenance diet (prepared by a dietician to regulate and maintain calorie consumption) and must visit an outpatient clinic for weight measurement for 10 consecutive weekdays. During the two-week diet, participants will also undergo two 20-minute computerized scans to measure abdominal and body fat. At the end of the two weeks, participants will then be hospitalized for two days to allow researchers to conduct blood tests, oral glucose tests, and a physical examination to measure REE and fatty acid flux levels for comparison.