Clinical Research Directory

Dietary Intervention to Improve Kidney Transplant Outcomes

Randomized controlled trial of a curriculum intervention teaching patients to eat a whole-food plant-based dietary pattern versus standard of care in kidney transplant recipients within the first few months of transplant

Long-term Effectiveness of the Antiobesity Medication Phentermine

The purpose of this research study is to understand the long-term effects of the drug phentermine on weight, blood pressure, other health outcomes, and safety. Phentermine has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for weight management since 1959, but it has not been approved for long-term use (i.e., treatment lasting more than 12 weeks). This trial is designed to learn about the long-term effects of phentermine for up to 2 years because obesity is a chronic disease and expert guidelines recommend long-term use of anti-obesity medications as one treatment option.

Strategies for Implementing a Postpartum Lifestyle Intervention in WIC Clinics

The primary objective of the STRIVE study is to compare two implementation strategies for Diabetes Prevention Program delivery: an in-person health coach strategy (standard 24 in-person sessions at WIC clinics) vs. a multifaceted technology-assisted health coach implementation strategy (12 in-person sessions at WIC clinics supplemented by technology support) on implementation and health-related outcomes in postpartum women.

Study of a Diabetes Prevention Patient Activation Clinical Decision Support Tool

The investigators overarching goal is to increase the percentage of patients engaging in diabetes prevention activities to reduce the incidence of diabetes. The investigators objective is to design and pilot test a prediabetes clinical decision support (CDS) tool in the electronic health record (EHR) that will assess the patient's activation level based on responses to a questionnaire. Based on the patient's assessed level of activation, the tool will generate several communication recommendations to guide clinicians in conversations related to prediabetes/lifestyle change and tailor recommendations about available resources (e.g., care manager, health coach, DPP) to support patient activation.

Effectiveness and Mechanisms of Lifestyle Intervention for College Students

The goal of this trial is to test the effectiveness and learn about the mechanisms and effectiveness of lifestyle intervention for college students. The main questions it aims to answer are: * Is the lifestyle course for college students effective in improving the skills and confidence for changing lifestyle, occupational balance, perceived health, as well as well-being for college students? * What are the mechanisms between the course design and the students' learning? Participants will join a 9-week online course that aims to facilitate college students to create health-promoting and satisfying habits and routines. Potentially a mixed format of online and in-person course design will be applied, depending on the university requirements and student feedback. Researchers will compare the experimental group and control group to see if the lifestyle tele-course improves college students' skills and confidence for changing lifestyle, occupational balance, perceived health, as well as well-being.

An Exploratory Feasibility Study

This study explores the feasibility of ContextWell, a well-being education programme that combines an online webinar with an AI-powered behavioural nudging system. The programme aims to support university students, particularly those in healthcare disciplines, in enhancing well-being and adopting healthier lifestyle habits. The primary objective is to determine whether the programme can be feasibly delivered within university settings. A secondary objective is to assess its potential to improve student well-being and encourage behavioural changes aligned with lifestyle medicine principles. The intervention builds on the understanding that healthcare professionals' lifestyle habits and well-being have a direct impact on patient care. Focusing on healthcare students helps advance the integration of lifestyle medicine within health education and clinical practice. This single-group feasibility study delivers the full intervention to all participants. Students participate in an online well-being webinar and receive AI-generated behavioural prompts designed to promote self-awareness and healthier daily choices. Key evaluation measures will indicated the feasibility of the programme among young adults in academic environments. Participant feedback and initial outcomes will support future development and inform larger-scale research.

Association of Psychological Distress in Patients With Lung Cancer

Psychological distress is a multi-factorial experience of a psychological, social, spiritual, and/or physical nature that may interfere with one's ability to cope effectively with cancer, physical symptoms and treatment. Psychological distress is common and affects the efficacy and prognosis of patients with lung cancer. The systematic anti-tumor therapy may effectively relieve psychological distress including anxiety, depression, and fatigue in patients with advanced lung cancer, the relief of the psychological distress can in turn improve the therapeutic effect. In summary, this study is to explore the associations of (dynamic) psychological stress with the efficacy and survival of anti-tumor therapy including immunotherapy and targeted therapy for advanced lung cancer patients.

RE-inventing Strategies for Healthy Ageing; Recommendations and Tools

The goal of the RESTART RCT is to examine whether a complex lifestyle intervention, coordinated with municipal and non-government organizations (NGO), can establish and preserve improvements in risk factors and functional capacity among older adults at high risk of cardiometabolic disease. The main objectives to investigate are whether a complex lifestyle intervention, compared to an active control group, will at 24 months have: 1. Produced a clinically relevant increase in cardiorespiratory fitness (primary endpoint) 2. Increased muscle strength, physical activity and reduced adiposity 3. Improved body composition, health-related quality of life and cognitive function All participants (Control and Intervention Groups) are provided with wrist-worn activity trackers at baseline and access to national recommendations on physical activity. The intervention group additionally advances through a comprehensive lifestyle program including high-intensity aerobic and strength exercise, dietary and behavioral counselling. Intervention participants are gradually transitioned into exercise activities organized by Tromsø Municipaity and local NGO:s. Testing of outcomes are performed at baseline, 6, 12 and 24 months. Primary endpoint (VO2max) is assessed at 24 months.

Lifestyle Coaching for Fatigue Mitigation in Emergency Medicine Residents

The purpose of this study is to determine whether personalized lifestyle coaching minimizes the negative impact of circadian disruption on performance and recovery in emergency medicine physician trainees during night shifts.

Addressing Diabetes by Elevating Access to Nutrition

The goal of ADELANTE is to determine whether a multi-level intervention to improve household food insecurity and glycemic control is effective for Latino patients with diabetes. Specifically, ADELANTE aims to 1. determine whether weekly household food delivery plus an intensive lifestyle intervention is more effective than usual care for improving glycemic control (HbA1c) at 6 months, 2. examine the effects of the multi-level intervention on = household food insecurity, dietary behaviors, and psychosocial outcomes, and 3. assess the future potential for implementation and dissemination of this multi-level intervention in primary care settings.

Implementing Strategies for Eating Behaviour Modification Based on Portion Control

This is a pre-post intervention study designed to evaluate the feasibility of a self-applied weight management intervention based on portion control. A total of 40 healthy volunteers with overweight/obesity will take part in a 6-month intervention featuring 4 components: a portion control toolset; a manual including instructions for the use of the tools, dietary and activity recommendations, and behavioural strategies; a mobile app to motivate intervention engagement; and biweekly telephone support. The primary outcome will be Intervention adherence, assessed as the change in dietary energy density, meal nutrient composition and utilization of intervention components from start to end of trial. Other measurements (at baseline, 3 and 6 months from baseline) will include body composition, fasting biochemical parameters, inhibitory control, eating behaviour, portions size norms and acceptance of the intervention.

A Nutrition and Exercise Lifestyle Intervention Program Participant Choice Approach

Interventions that target excessive gestational weight gain (EGWG) with nutrition and exercise behavior change struggle with low program adherence. The investigators recently examined adherence in a randomized controlled trial to a previously established lifestyle program called the Nutrition and Exercise Lifestyle Intervention Program (NELIP) and found that those individuals with high adherence to the program were more likely to prevent EGWG. Perhaps offering participants a choice to intervention strategies may improve adherence. The current research question is: What impact does participant choice have on adherence to the introduction of nutrition and exercise components during 3 intervention strategies offered to pregnant individuals compared to no choice and does choice maintain pregnancy health outcomes? The strategies are: Group A - introducing both the nutrition and exercise components simultaneous at baseline (12-18 weeks of pregnancy) that is followed to delivery (NELIP); Group B - introducing the nutrition component first and then at 25 weeks adding the exercise component; or Group C - starting with the exercise component first, followed with introducing the nutrition component at 25 weeks. Both Groups B and C follow the full NELIP from 25 weeks to delivery (final intervention measures will occur at 34-36 weeks gestation). Follow-up will occur at birth (6-18 hours), 2, 6 and 12 months post delivery.