Brain Activation and Satiety in Children 2 (BASIC2)

December 31, 2025 updated by: Christian L Roth, MD, Seattle Children's Hospital

Brain Systems and Behaviors Underlying Response to Obesity Treatment in Children

Childhood obesity and related long-term effects are serious public health problems, but not all children with obesity do well in treatment. This study will test a new combination of family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) with a drug intervention using a glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist (GLP-1RA) exenatide once weekly extended-release (ExQW, Bydureon®) in order to improve obesity intervention outcomes in 10-12-year-old children.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

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

Using functional and structural magnetic resonance neuroimaging, this study will evaluate brain factors which could undermine treatment responses and long-term obesity intervention outcomes. Specific Aim 1 will test the effect of adding ExQW to FBT on change in BMI z-score over a total GLP-1RA treatment duration of 24 weeks and a subsequent 1-year observational follow-up period after treatment cessation. To provide mechanistic insight, Specific Aim 2 will test whether adding GLP-1RA intervention to FBT impacts neural activation by food cues. Finally, the proposed research will investigate the role of a cellular inflammatory process in the mediobasal hypothalamus-called gliosis-which might contribute to impaired hypothalamic function, attenuated satiety responsiveness, and potentially to worse weight management outcomes. Specific Aim 3 will test if hypothalamic gliosis is modified by FBT and/or FBT plus GLP-1RA in children and if its extent is related to immediate and/or long-term intervention outcomes.

Study Design: This double-blinded, randomized, placebo-controlled research study uses fMRI to characterize neural responses to a test meal before and at the end of FBT intervention, with vs. without additional GLP-1RA intervention. In addition, it uses structural MRI (sMRI) to test if MBH gliosis is reversible and/or associated with intervention outcomes.

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.
63

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.
  • Phase 3

Contacts and Locations

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

Study Contact

Study Contact

The name and contact information for the person who can answer enrollment questions for a clinical study. Each location where the study is being conducted may also have a specific contact, who may be better able to answer those questions.

Study Contact Backup

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Washington
      • Seattle, Washington, United States, 98105
        • Seattle Children's Hospital

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

10 years to 12 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 10-12 years of age
  • Male or female
  • Ability and willingness to participate in study visits including fMRI scans, blood draws, and weekly injections;
  • Parent willing to provide informed written consent and child willing to provide written assent;
  • Child has BMI z-score >95th percentile. for age and sex;
  • One parent that is obese or overweight (BMI >27 kg/m2); willingness of 1 parent (does not have to be the parent with obesity) to engage in weekly family-based weight control treatment delivered in English.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • History of acute or chronic serious medical conditions;
  • known diabetes mellitus or recent (6 mo.) history of anemia;
  • Presence of any implanted metal or metal devices, including ferro-metallic surgical clips or orthodontic braces;
  • Claustrophobia;
  • Documented cognitive disorder, disruptive behavior, inability to participate in group sessions;
  • Current use of medications known to alter appetite, body weight, or brain response
  • Food intolerance to test meal (macaroni and cheese) or vegetarianism/veganism or severe food allergies.
  • Known renal impairment (GFR<60 ml/min/1.73m2)
  • History of gastroparesis, pancreatitis or gallstones (unless status post cholecystectomy);
  • Family history of multiple endocrine neoplasia type 2 or familial medullary thyroid carcinoma;
  • Known elevated calcitonin level at phone screening or increased measured calcitonin level at study visits;
  • Untreated thyroid disorder or adrenal insufficiency;
  • Use of weight loss medications (child participant) within 3 months of screening visit.
  • Participating parent is pregnant

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: Quadruple

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.
Active Comparator: Exenatide once weekly extended-release
Weekly subcutaneous injections of glucagon-like peptide (GLP)-1 agonist exenatide once weekly extended-release (2mg) for 24 weeks in randomized intervention.
Behavioral: Family Based Behavioral Treatment
Children with obesity accompanied by at least one parent or caregiver will attend 24 weekly sessions. Most sessions will be held via video-conference and include 25-30 min. meetings between an interventionist and each child/parent pair to individualize treatment, followed by separate child and parent group meetings lasting 40 - 45 min. A select few sessions will be held in-person between an interventionist and each child/parent pair with no group session. Parents will serve as primary agents of change for their child and for themselves. Training will focus on food and physical activity education, parenting around food and physical activity, and use of behavioral skills (e.g., self-monitoring, environmental control, contingency management). Intervention groups of 8-12 children/families will be initiated every 3-6 mos. in study yrs. 2-3.
Drug: Exenatide 2 mg [Bydureon]
Weekly injections of active drug.
Other Names:
  • Bydureon®
Placebo Comparator: Matching placebo
Weekly subcutaneous injections of placebo for 24 weeks.
Behavioral: Family Based Behavioral Treatment
Children with obesity accompanied by at least one parent or caregiver will attend 24 weekly sessions. Most sessions will be held via video-conference and include 25-30 min. meetings between an interventionist and each child/parent pair to individualize treatment, followed by separate child and parent group meetings lasting 40 - 45 min. A select few sessions will be held in-person between an interventionist and each child/parent pair with no group session. Parents will serve as primary agents of change for their child and for themselves. Training will focus on food and physical activity education, parenting around food and physical activity, and use of behavioral skills (e.g., self-monitoring, environmental control, contingency management). Intervention groups of 8-12 children/families will be initiated every 3-6 mos. in study yrs. 2-3.
Drug: Placebo
Weekly placebo injections

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 of BMI z-score
Time Frame: Change from drug treatment randomization at week 8 of family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) to end of combined intervention (FBT + drug) at week 24 of FBT
Body mass index (BMI) z-scores will be derived using CDC growth charts, using the LMS method, to allow for comparison of adiposity over time and across children who differ in age and sex.
Change from drug treatment randomization at week 8 of family-based behavioral treatment (FBT) to end of combined intervention (FBT + drug) at week 24 of FBT

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
BMI z-score
Time Frame: Up to 12-months after ending treatment
Change of body mass index (BMI) z-scores derived using CDC growth charts, using the LMS method, to allow for comparison of adiposity over time and across children who differ in age and sex.
Up to 12-months after ending treatment
Body composition
Time Frame: Change from Baseline to post-Family Based Behavioral Treatment at week 24 and post drug-treatment at week 32
Changes in body composition as assessed using a bioelectrical impedance (BIA)
Change from Baseline to post-Family Based Behavioral Treatment at week 24 and post drug-treatment at week 32
Indices of metabolic syndrome
Time Frame: Change from Baseline to post-Family Based Behavioral Treatment at week 24
Changes of insulin resistance assessed by fasting insulin used for homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) using the formula insulin [mU/l] x glucose [mmol/l]) / 22.5
Change from Baseline to post-Family Based Behavioral Treatment at week 24
Meal induced chances in brain activation to visual food cues
Time Frame: Change from Baseline to post-Family Based Behavioral Treatment at week 24
Change of brain response to visual food cues measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging in a priori regions of interest
Change from Baseline to post-Family Based Behavioral Treatment at week 24

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.
Seattle Children's Hospital

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.
University of Washington

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.
January 28, 2021

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.
August 21, 2025

Study Completion (Estimated)

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.
February 12, 2026

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).
July 31, 2020

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.
August 17, 2020

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.
August 20, 2020

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.
January 5, 2026

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.
December 31, 2025

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.
December 1, 2025

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.
  • STUDY00001984

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

Yes

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

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.

Clinical Trials on Childhood Obesity

Clinical Trials on Family Based Behavioral Treatment

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Cookie Settings

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. For more details carefully read our Privacy and Cookies Policy. ...>>>You can change your preferences or withdraw your consent at any time by deleting the cookies from your website or computer as described in the policy. Please accept it and choose your preferences by ticking the corresponding boxes in the "Manage Settings" section below. Please carefully read our Terms of Service before you proceed with using any part of this website.
«Manage Settings