Utilizing Protein During Weight Loss to Impact Physical Function (UPLIFT)

May 19, 2023 updated by: Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Long-term Effects of Weight Loss and Supplemental Protein on Physical Function

This study will evaluate the effects of diet composition (i.e., amount of protein and carbohydrate) during a 6-month weight loss intervention and 12-months of follow-up on physical function, muscle mass, and weight loss maintenance in obese older adults. Participants will receive either a protein or carbohydrate supplement along with a behavioral weight loss intervention.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

The study will use a 3-group design in 225 obese (BMI 27-45 kg/m2), older (65-85 years) men and women at risk for disability (eSPPB <2.5) who will undergo a 6-month weight loss intervention followed by a 12-month follow-up phase to test the overall hypothesis that a higher protein (1.2 g/kg body wt/d) / lower carbohydrate (CHO) diet during a 6-month weight loss intervention improves physical function compared with an isocaloric lower protein (the current Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA), 0.8 g/kg body wt/d) / higher CHO diet, and whether continuing a higher protein / lower CHO diet for 12-months following weight loss will result in better maintenance of improved physical function. All participants will undergo a 6-month weight loss intervention involving caloric restriction and supervised exercise followed by 12 months of follow-up with randomization to one of three groups (n=75/group): 1) Lower protein / higher CHO diet for the 6-month weight loss phase only (RecProt); 2) Higher protein / lower CHO diet for the 6-month weight loss phase only (6-mo HiProt); or 3) Higher protein / lower CHO diet for the 6-month weight loss and 12-month follow-up phases (18-mo HiProt). Physical function (primary aim) will be assessed by the expanded Short Physical Performance Battery (primary outcome) and lower extremity muscle strength at baseline, 6-, 12- and 18-months. Weight loss maintenance and body composition (secondary aim) will be assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computed tomography (CT) at baseline, 6- and 18-months. Bone mineral density (DXA) and cardiometabolic risk factors will also be measured at baseline, 6- and 18-months.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
187

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • North Carolina
      • Winston-Salem, North Carolina, United States, 27157
        • Geriatric Research Center at Wake Forest Baptist Health

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

65 years to 85 years (Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 65-85 years
  • BMI: 27-45 kg/m2
  • No regular resistance training and/or aerobic exercise (>20 mins/d) for past 6 months
  • eSPPB <2.5
  • No contraindications for safe and optimal participation in exercise training
  • Approved for participation by Medical Director (Dr. Lyles)
  • Willing to provide informed consent
  • Agree to all study procedures and assessments
  • Willing to consume protein/CHO supplements for up to 18 months
  • Able to provide own transportation to study visits and intervention sessions

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Weight loss (≥5%) in past 6 months
  • Dependent on cane or walker
  • Cognitive impairment (MoCA score <22)
  • Severe arthritis, or other musculoskeletal disorder
  • Joint replacement or other orthopedic surgery in past 6 months
  • Uncontrolled resting hypertension (>160/90 mmHg);
  • Insulin-dependent or uncontrolled diabetes (HbA1c ≥8%)
  • Current or recent past (within 1 year) severe symptomatic heart disease, uncontrolled angina, stroke, chronic respiratory disease requiring oxygen; uncontrolled endocrine/metabolic disease; neurological or hematological disease; cancer requiring treatment in past year, except non-melanoma skin cancers; liver or renal disease; or clinically evident edema
  • Unstable, severe depression
  • Serious conduction disorder, uncontrolled arrhythmia, or new Q waves or ST-segment depressions (>3 mm at rest or ≥2 mm with exercise)
  • Abnormal kidney function (eGFR <30 based on serum creatinine, age, gender, and race)
  • Anemia (Hb<13 g/dL in men; <12 g/dL in women)
  • Drug abuse or excessive alcohol use (>7 drinks/week women; >14 drinks/week men)
  • Use of any tobacco or nicotine products in the past year
  • Osteoporosis (T-score < -2.5 on hip or spine scan)
  • Regular use of growth/steroid hormones, sex steroids or corticosteroids, osteoporosis medication, or protein supplements
  • Weight loss medications or procedures
  • Current participation in another intervention study

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Triple

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Placebo Comparator: RecProt
Lower protein / higher CHO diet for the 6-month weight loss phase. Exercise intervention months 0-6. Weight loss intervention months 0-6. Carbohydrate supplement for months 0-6 (blinded). Follow-up months 7-18.
Behavioral: Weight loss intervention months 0-6
All participants will undergo a dietary weight loss intervention designed to elicit behavioral changes leading to decreased caloric intake sufficient to yield a ~10% loss of initial body mass. The weight loss intervention will incorporate nutrition education (via group and individual meetings with the study dietitian), self-monitoring skills, cognitive-behavioral strategies for promoting lifestyle behavior modifications, and planned meals. Behavioral and educational group and individual sessions will be held weekly in a 3:1 ratio (3 group and 1 individual session per month).
Behavioral: Exercise intervention months 0-6
All participants will be expected to participate in a supervised, center-based exercise program involving moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g., treadmill walking) 3 days/wk during the 6-month weight loss intervention in accordance with the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine physical activity recommendations for older adults.
Dietary supplement: Carbohydrate supplement for months 0-6
Participants in the lower protein / higher CHO diet group (RecProt) will be provided a carbohydrate supplement (~50 g of carbohydrate and 220 calories) to consume daily during the 6 month weight loss intervention.
Active Comparator: 6-mon HiProt
Higher protein / lower CHO diet for the 6-month weight loss phase. Exercise intervention months 0-6. Weight loss intervention months 0-6. Protein supplement for months 0-6 (blinded). Follow-up months 7-18.
Behavioral: Weight loss intervention months 0-6
All participants will undergo a dietary weight loss intervention designed to elicit behavioral changes leading to decreased caloric intake sufficient to yield a ~10% loss of initial body mass. The weight loss intervention will incorporate nutrition education (via group and individual meetings with the study dietitian), self-monitoring skills, cognitive-behavioral strategies for promoting lifestyle behavior modifications, and planned meals. Behavioral and educational group and individual sessions will be held weekly in a 3:1 ratio (3 group and 1 individual session per month).
Behavioral: Exercise intervention months 0-6
All participants will be expected to participate in a supervised, center-based exercise program involving moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g., treadmill walking) 3 days/wk during the 6-month weight loss intervention in accordance with the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine physical activity recommendations for older adults.
Dietary supplement: Protein supplement for months 0-6
Participants in the higher protein / lower CHO diet groups (6-mon HiProt and 18-mon HiProt) will be provided a protein supplement (~50 g of protein and 220 calories) to consume daily during the 6 month weight loss intervention.
Active Comparator: 18-mon HiProt

Higher protein / lower CHO diet for the 6-month weight loss and 12-month follow-up phases.

Exercise intervention months 0-6. Weight loss intervention months 0-6. Protein supplement for months 0-6 (blinded). Protein supplement for follow-up months 7-18.
Behavioral: Weight loss intervention months 0-6
All participants will undergo a dietary weight loss intervention designed to elicit behavioral changes leading to decreased caloric intake sufficient to yield a ~10% loss of initial body mass. The weight loss intervention will incorporate nutrition education (via group and individual meetings with the study dietitian), self-monitoring skills, cognitive-behavioral strategies for promoting lifestyle behavior modifications, and planned meals. Behavioral and educational group and individual sessions will be held weekly in a 3:1 ratio (3 group and 1 individual session per month).
Behavioral: Exercise intervention months 0-6
All participants will be expected to participate in a supervised, center-based exercise program involving moderate-intensity aerobic exercise (e.g., treadmill walking) 3 days/wk during the 6-month weight loss intervention in accordance with the American Heart Association and the American College of Sports Medicine physical activity recommendations for older adults.
Dietary supplement: Protein supplement for months 0-6
Participants in the higher protein / lower CHO diet groups (6-mon HiProt and 18-mon HiProt) will be provided a protein supplement (~50 g of protein and 220 calories) to consume daily during the 6 month weight loss intervention.
Dietary supplement: Protein supplement for follow-up months 7-18
Participants in the higher protein / lower CHO diet (18-mon HiProt) will be provided a protein supplement (~50 g of protein and 220 calories) to consume daily during the 12-month follow-up.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in Expanded Short Physical Performance Battery Score
Time Frame: 18 months
To determine the effects of a higher protein / lower CHO diet vs. lower protein / higher CHO diet during a 6-month weight loss intervention and 12 months of follow-up on change in lower extremity physical function assessed by the expanded Short Physical Performance Battery score over 18 months. The expanded Short Physical Performance Battery score ranges from 0 to 4 with higher scores indicating better lower extremity physical function
18 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Lower Extremity Muscle Strength
Time Frame: 18 months
To determine the effects of a higher protein / lower CHO diet vs. lower protein / higher CHO diet during a 6-month weight loss intervention and 12 months of follow-up on change in lower extremity muscle strength assessed using an isokinetic dynamometer (Biodex) over 18 months
18 months
Weight Change
Time Frame: 18 months
To determine the effects of a higher protein / lower CHO diet vs. lower protein / higher CHO diet during a 6-month weight loss intervention and 12 months of follow-up on change in body weight over 18 months
18 months
Total Body Lean Mass
Time Frame: 18 months
To determine the effects of a higher protein / lower CHO diet vs. lower protein / higher CHO diet during a 6-month weight loss intervention and 12 months of follow-up on change in dual energy x-ray (DXA) acquired total body lean mass over 18 months
18 months
Total Body Fat Mass
Time Frame: 18 months
To determine the effects of a higher protein / lower CHO diet vs. lower protein / higher CHO diet during a 6-month weight loss intervention and 12 months of follow-up on change in dual energy x-ray acquired (DXA) total body fat mass over 18 months
18 months
Thigh Muscle Volume
Time Frame: 18 months
To determine the effects of a higher protein / lower CHO diet vs. lower protein / higher CHO diet during a 6-month weight loss intervention and 12 months of follow-up on change in computerized tomography (CT) acquired thigh muscle volume over 18 months
18 months
Intermuscular Adipose Tissue
Time Frame: 18 months
To determine the effects of a higher protein / lower CHO diet vs. lower protein / higher CHO diet during a 6-month weight loss intervention and 12 months of follow-up on change in computerized tomography (CT) acquired thigh intermuscular adipose tissue over 18 months
18 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Collaborators

Collaborators

An organization other than the sponsor that provides support for a clinical study. This support may include activities related to funding, design, implementation, data analysis, or reporting.
National Institute on Aging (NIA)

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Denise Houston, PhD, Wake Forest University Health Sciences

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
May 3, 2017

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
April 28, 2022

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
April 28, 2022

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
February 28, 2017

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
March 3, 2017

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
March 9, 2017

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 22, 2023

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 19, 2023

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • IRB00038668 (Other Identifier: Wake Forest University IRB)
  • R01AG050656 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

Yes

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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