Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches to Reduce Binge Eating and Excess Weight in Adolescents (Online) (CARE2)

October 27, 2026 updated by: Janet Lydecker, Indiana University

Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches to Reduce Binge Eating and Excess Weight in Adolescents (CARE2)

This study will compare a psychological treatment (cognitive-behavioral therapy; CBT-BED) and a lifestyle beahvioral obesity intervention (LBOI) for adolescents who experience binge eating and have overweight or obesity. These treatments will be compared to each other and to a control condition that involves self-monitoring eating and mood using an "app". Participants can be located in most states in the United States. All participation occurs remotely by telehealth. The goal is to learn which approach works best for reducing binge eating and excess weight in this age group.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Not yet 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

Binge eating is the most prevalent eating disorder but has the lowest rate (<4%) of receiving eating disorder treatment. Binge eating often begins in adolescence and is related to obesity, physical and mental health problems, and psychological distress. Yet, there are virtually no established treatments, and no clear standard of care, for adolescents with binge eating. Evidence-based treatments exist for adults, including psychological treatments (e.g., CBT-BED) and lifestyle behavioral obesity intervention (LBOI), but how well these treatments work for adolescents remains largely unknown. LBOI is an effective treatment for adolescent obesity, but has only been tested as additional outcomes (not the initial goal) for binge eating. There is an urgent need for research to establish the efficacy of interventions for adolescents with binge eating to improve adolescents' health and quality of life. This study will conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) in which adolescents are randomized to Psychological Treatment (cognitive behavioral therapy for binge eating, or CBT-BED), Behavioral Treatment (lifestyle health behavioral treatment for obesity, or LBOI), or Active Control. In this study, we will compare both CBT-BED and LBOI to each other and to an Active Control. Active Control is daily self-monitoring (emotions, eating, exercise) on an "app", mimicking real-world self-help, followed by choice of CBT-BED or LBOI.

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 (Estimated)

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.
159

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
    • Indiana
      • Indianapolis, Indiana, United States, 46202
        • Indiana University School of Medicine
        • Contact:

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

12 years to 17 years (Child)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

All

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  1. Be in the age range ≥12 years old and ≤17 years old;
  2. Have a BMI that places them above the 85th percentile based on their age and sex;
  3. Report 4 episodes of binge eating (feeling a loss of control while eating) per month for the past 3 months;
  4. Be available for participation in the study for 18 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

  1. Have a medical or psychiatric condition that would require a higher level of care, such as hospitalization or intensive outpatient care (e.g., neurological disorder, psychotic disorders, suicidality);
  2. Have a medical or psychiatric condition that would prohibit them from engaging in behavioral treatment or moderate physical activity (e.g., cardiovascular problems);
  3. Have uncontrolled medical condition(s) (e.g., uncontrolled diabetes or hypertension);
  4. Be pregnant or breastfeeding;
  5. Be taking medication(s) or participating in treatment(s) that could influence weight or appetite;
  6. Have begun taking hormonal contraceptives less than 3 months prior, as this can be related to weight changes;
  7. Have a developmental or cognitive disorder that would interfere with engaging in cognitive treatment;
  8. Have a concurrent feeding/eating disorder (e.g., bulimia nervosa); or
  9. Be participating in another clinical research 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: Single

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.
Experimental: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for binge-eating disorder (CBT-BED) for adolescents with binge eating and overweight or obesity, delivered remotely by telehealth.
Behavioral: Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Adolescent Binge Eating

Cognitive-behavioral therapy for binge-eating disorder (CBT-BED) for adolescents with binge eating and overweight or obesity, delivered remotely by telehealth. Sessions target cognitive and emotional drivers of binge eating through coping skills, problem-solving triggers, cognitive restructuring, and executive-function skill training; parent sessions focus on communication and support.

Other Names:
  • CBT-BED
Experimental: Lifestyle Behavioral Obesity Intervention

Lifestyle behavioral obesity intervention (LBOI) for adolescents with binge eating and overweight or obesity, delivered remotely by telehealth.
Behavioral: Lifestyle Behavioral Obesity Intervention

Lifestyle behavioral obesity intervention (LBOI) for adolescents with binge eating and overweight or obesity, delivered remotely by telehealth. Sessions provide nutrition and physical-activity prescriptions to create a modest calorie deficit and sustainable lifestyle habits and problem-solve nonadherence; parent sessions focus on the home food environment.

Other Names:
  • Behavioral Weight Loss
  • LBOI
  • Intensive Health Behavior Lifestyle Treatment
  • Behavioral Obesity Treatment
Active Comparator: Active Control

Active control: daily self-monitoring of eating, emotions, and physical activity via an "app," similar to real-world digital self-help. At the end of the initial period, individuals are presented with descriptions of CBT-BED and LBOI, choose their preferred treatment, and receive it.
Other: Active Control

Self-monitoring eating, emotions, and exercise daily in a digital "app" that is similar to real-world self-help.

Other Names:
  • Self-monitoring

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
Binge Eating Episode Frequency
Time Frame: End of treatment (6 months)

Eating episodes will be assessed by the Eating Disorder Examination
End of treatment (6 months)
Weight (e.g., Percent Loss)
Time Frame: End of treatment (6 months)

Percent body mass index change
End of treatment (6 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
Eating Disorder Severity
Time Frame: End of treatment (6 months)

Global eating-disorder psychopathology will be assessed by the Eating Disorder Examination (scores range from 0 through 6; higher scores indicate more severe psychopathology).
End of treatment (6 months)
Weight-related Quality of Life score
Time Frame: End of treatment (6 months)

Weight-related quality of life will be assessed by questionnaire.
End of treatment (6 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.
Indiana University

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 of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)

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 (Estimated)

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.
November 1, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

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.
January 31, 2030

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.
January 31, 2031

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).
September 29, 2026

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.
September 29, 2026

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.
October 5, 2026

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.
October 29, 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.
October 27, 2026

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.
October 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

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.
  • 32948
  • R01DK146817 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

IPD Plan Description

de-identified data will be shared with qualified researchers with ethics board approval and a data use agreement.

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

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.

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