GOAL: To obtain a better understanding of
body weight regulation and obesity
STUDY: Volunteers live in the
Irving Center at Columbia Presbyterian Medical
Center for six months while on a liquid diet.
Fitness is maintained throughout the study by
monitored, regular exercise as prescribed by the
staff exercise physiologist.
For the first 1-2 months the aim is to
have the volunteers maintain their admission
weight. After keeping their weight stable for two
weeks, researcherswill study them over a 2-3 week
period. The studies include collection and
analysis of blood and urine, exercise
tests, muscle and fat samplings,and breathing
measurements. Volunteers will be confined to the
hospital during this time.
For the next 1-2 months volunteers
proceed with weight loss by ingesting 800
calories of liquid formula diet per day until
they lose 10% of their body weight. Volunteers
are free to leave the hospital during the days of
this weight loss phase.
The following 1-2 months volunteers
maintain this 10% lower body weight stably at
least two weeks and then studies are repeated.
They are confined to the hospital during this
period.
At this point volunteers may be
discharged or opt to stay on for up to two more
months of weight loss, which will be followed by
an abbreviated weight maintenance and study
period.
There may be some opportunity to take part
in an outpatient weight loss study which would
involve brief inpatient stays at initial weight
and reduced weight.
BENEFITS: Free, safe inpatient weight
loss that is supervised by a highly qualified
team of physicians and researchers. A lifetime of
outpatient support for weight loss A private,
furnished room in the Irving Clinical Research
Center with private bathroom, television, VCR and
stereo