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Calorie showdown: fixed vs variable dieting for weight loss

NCT ID NCT02736669

What the study statuses mean

This study's is highlighted.

Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
Paused
Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
Ongoing
Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed This study
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
Not a trial. The treatment can normally be requested outside a study, but is unavailable right now.
Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
This status has not been confirmed recently, so it may be out of date.

First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026

Summary

This study tested two weight loss programs in 223 overweight or obese adults aged 21-75. One group followed a fixed calorie reduction plan, while the other varied their calorie intake. The goal was to see which approach leads to more weight loss over time.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance
calorie reduction (behavioral intervention)
What this could lead to
If it works, this could show which calorie-cutting approach is more effective for weight loss in behavioral programs.
What could go wrong
This is a completed study, but results may not apply to everyone. Weight loss can be hard to maintain long-term.

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

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

223 people

The number who actually took part.

Started

Oct 2015

Finished

Dec 2025

Lead sponsor

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

21 to 75 years

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show 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 21-75 * Body mass index (BMI) 30-50 kg/m2 Exclusion Criteria: * Uncontrolled hypertension (blood pressure \>160/100 mm Hg) * Any of the following other medical conditions: myocardial infarction or cerebrovascular accident within the last six months; unstable angina within the past six months; congestive heart failure; cancer requiring treatment in past five years (exception: non-melanoma skin cancer); serious infectious diseases (e.g., self-reported HIV); chronic hepatitis; cirrhosis; chronic malabsorption syndrome; chronic pancreatitis; chronic lung diseases or orthopedic problems that limit physical activity * Current use of any of the following medications: antipsychotic agents, monoamine oxidase inhibitors, systemic corticosteroids, antibiotics for HIV or TB, or chemotherapeutic drugs; prescription weight loss medications (past six months) * Unwilling or unable to do any of the following: give informed consent; read English at the 5th grade level; accept random assignment; travel to the intervention site * Likely to relocate out of the area in the next 2 years * Participation in another randomized research project * Weight loss \> 10 pounds in past six months * History of bariatric surgery * Major depressive or psychiatric disorder, or excessive alcohol intake * Potential participants living farther than 30 miles driving distance from UAB will be excluded from the study. * Potential participants (female) that are pregnant or plan to become pregnant in the next 18 months will be excluded from participation in the study. This is a weight loss study and weight gain/loss due to pregnancy and/or delivery would confound study results. Additionally, weight loss is not recommended for pregnant women.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

Behavior Body Weight Obesity obesity disorder Overweight Weight Loss

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Contacts and locations

Locations

  • University of Alabama at Birmingham, Medical Towers Building

    Birmingham, Alabama, 35205, United States

More trials for these conditions

Other studies related to the condition(s) this trial covers.