Trial results for a pilot study investigating a behavioral weight management intervention in college students with Obesity were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2026-01-21. The intervention group showed a mean -1.7% change in weight, compared to a mean 0.7% increase in the control group.
Background
Obesity is a significant public health concern, and its prevalence among college students is a growing issue. Emerging adults in college often face unique challenges that can contribute to weight gain, including changes in diet, activity levels, and stress. Behavioral weight loss interventions are a common approach to managing obesity, but tailoring them effectively for the college population requires specific consideration. This pilot study aimed to refine a "small change" behavioral weight loss approach to maximize student acceptability and improve weight loss outcomes within this demographic.
Trial design
This completed study, identified as Phase NA, enrolled 42 participants with Obesity. The trial was designed as a series of uncontrolled pilot studies to refine a behavioral weight loss intervention (BWLI-College) using a "small change" approach for emerging adult college students with overweight/obesity. The study's primary aim was to maximize student acceptability of the intervention and weight loss outcomes. Participants were assigned to either the BWLI-College intervention group or a control group.
Key results
Key measurements from the pilot study included acceptability, participant retention, adherence, and weight change:
- Acceptability: The BWLI-College group reported a mean acceptability score of 4.6 (Standard Deviation 0.5), while the control group reported a mean score of 4.2 (Standard Deviation 0.8).
- Percentage of Participants Who Remained at 10 Weeks: In the BWLI-College group, 24 participants remained at 10 weeks. In the control group, 5 participants remained at 10 weeks.
- Adherence: The BWLI-College group showed a mean adherence of 77.5% (Standard Deviation 20.2%) of sessions attended. The control group showed a mean adherence of 80% (Standard Deviation 44.7%) of sessions attended.
- Weight Change: The BWLI-College group experienced a mean weight change of -1.7% (Standard Deviation 2.8%). The control group experienced a mean weight change of 0.7% (Standard Deviation 3.4%).
What this means
The posted pilot results suggest that the BWLI-College behavioral weight loss intervention holds promise for college students with obesity. The intervention group demonstrated a mean weight reduction of -1.7%, contrasting with a mean weight gain of 0.7% in the control group. Furthermore, the intervention showed higher participant retention, with 24 participants remaining at 10 weeks compared to 5 in the control group. The high acceptability score of 4.6 for the BWLI-College group indicates that the intervention was well-received by students, supporting its potential for broader implementation or further study in this population.
Source
The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05895461, titled "Weight Management Intervention in College: A Pilot Study", were posted on 2026-01-21 on clinicaltrials.gov.