Could ditching diets during pregnancy improve weight gain and mood?
NCT ID NCT07792837
First seen Aug 28, 2026 · Last updated Aug 28, 2026
Summary
Researchers at San Diego State University are testing an 8-week online program that teaches intuitive eating principles to pregnant women with obesity. The program includes weekly video modules and workbook exercises, with optional office hours. The study will compare participants in the program to a wait-list group to see if it helps with weight gain, eating habits, and mental well-being. The main goal is to see if the program is practical and acceptable for this group.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- An 8-week online intuitive eating program with weekly modules and workbook exercises
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer pregnant women with obesity a practical, non-diet approach to healthier weight gain and better mental well-being during pregnancy.
- What could go wrong
- This is an early feasibility study with a small group, so it may not show clear benefits. The program depends on participants staying engaged, and results may not apply to all pregnant women.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
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Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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About 80 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Expected to start
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Sep 2026
An estimate. Start dates often move.
- Expected to finish
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Dec 2027
An estimate. End dates often move.
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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18 years and older
- Sex
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Female participants only
- Healthy volunteers
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Not accepted
This study is not open to healthy volunteers. The entry requirements below say who it is open to.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age ≥18 years * Pregnant women between 12 weeks and \<22 weeks gestation * Pre-pregnancy BMI 30.0 kg/m² or greater * Able to read and understand English (for intervention materials and questionnaires) * Receiving prenatal care at UC San Diego Health (UCSD) * Reliable access to a device (e.g., smartphone, tablet, or computer) with internet connection Exclusion Criteria: * Current or past diagnosis of an eating disorder (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, binge eating disorder, ARFID) * High-risk pregnancy or medical complications that may significantly affect diet, physical activity, or weight gain (e.g., gestational diabetes requiring insulin, preeclampsia, hyperemesis gravidarum) * Multiple gestation pregnancy (e.g., twins or higher-order multiples) * Current participation in another nutrition, weight management, or behavioral intervention study * Severe psychiatric illness (e.g., schizophrenia, bipolar disorder) or current substance use disorder that would interfere with participation * Inability to provide informed consent or comply with study procedures
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
How to take part
Only the study team decides who joins. These are the ways to reach them.
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The places running it
2 sites. The list below names each one and where it is.
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The official record
ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.
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A doctor treating you
A doctor who knows your case can contact a study site on your behalf, and can tell you whether this study is worth pursuing at all.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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San Diego State University
RECRUITINGSan Diego, California, 92182, United States
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UC San Diego Health
RECRUITINGSan Diego, California, 92182, United States
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