Whole foods diet for teens: a new hope against obesity?
NCT ID NCT06464497
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tests whether an 8-week whole foods diet (based on MyPlate, no calorie counting) can reduce body fat in 60 adolescents aged 10-18 with obesity. Participants will be randomly assigned to the diet or a control group. The study also looks at changes in diet quality for both teens and their parents. It is a small, early-stage trial to see if this approach is worth studying further.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- Whole foods diet (MyPlate-based, no calorie restriction)
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could point toward a simple, sustainable dietary approach to help teens with obesity reduce body fat and improve diet quality.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, early pilot study (60 participants) with no blinding, so results may not be generalizable. Adherence to the diet may be challenging, and the 8-week duration is too short to assess long-term effects.
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 60 people
The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.
- Started
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Mar 2025
- Expected to finish
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Apr 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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10 years and older
- Sex
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Anyone
- 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: For this study, eligible adolescents will be those that: 1. 10-18 years of age at time of initial screening; 2. living at home full-time with the enrolled parent or caregiver (≥80% in primary residence); 3. obesity defined as a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 95th percentile for age and gender based on standardized CDC growth curves; 4. reside within greater Middle Tennessee area and has enrolled parent/caregiver willing to drive to Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center for study visits; 5. are without medical conditions that would limit participation in a diet-related study (e.g., tube feeding, dysphagia, severe food allergy to 3 or more food groups causing anaphylaxis); 6. are willing and able to participate in an 8-week diet study that encourages preparing and eating healthy foods and snacks for 8 weeks with parental or caregiver support; 7. have parental or caregiver commitment to participate in the research study; For this study, eligible adult parents or caregivers will be those that: 1. adult parent or primary legal caregiver (greater than or equal to 25 years of age) of an enrolled adolescent; 2. live with the adolescent full-time (≥80% in primary residence); 3. have 1 or more metabolic risk factor(s) and/or metabolic condition(s) (e.g., overweight/obesity, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or dyslipidemia, hyperglycemia \[elevated fasting blood glucose ≥100 mg/dL\] and/or prediabetes, history of gestational diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome, type 2 diabetes, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease); 4. reside within greater Middle Tennessee area and are willing to drive to Vanderbilt University and Vanderbilt University Medical Center for study visits; 5. are without medical conditions that would limit participation in a diet-related study (e.g., tube feeding, dysphagia, severe food allergy to 3 or more food groups); 6. are able to participate in a study program that encourages preparing and eating healthy foods and snacks for 8 weeks with most preparation/cooking of meals/snacks at home; Exclusion Criteria: Adolescent exclusion criteria include: 1. Outside of the specified age range; 2. not living in the home of the enrolled parent or caregiver full time (≥80% in primary residence); 3. BMI less than 95th percentile for age and gender; 4. pregnant or lactating; 5. no eligible enrolled parent or caregiver or lack of parental/caregiver commitment to participate in study; 6. food allergy to 3 or more food groups; dietary restrictions or medical condition that prohibits participation in a diet study; 7. use of medications that cause weight loss or diabetes medications; 8. active participation in a weight loss or intense lifestyle modification program; 9. limited English-language proficiency; 10. participants unwilling or unable to give informed consent, accept random assignment, attend dietary counseling sessions, adhere to treatment prescription, or complete study measures; 11. adolescents who display dissenting behaviors during baseline data collection; 12. adolescents who do not otherwise meet the eligibility criteria listed in sections above as determined by pre-screen; Adult Parent or Caregiver exclusion criteria include: 1. not parent/ or legal caregiver; 2. not living in a household full-time with enrolled adolescent (less than 80% time spent away from primary residence); 3. lack of metabolic condition(s) per inclusion criteria; 4. special dietary restrictions, food allergies, or medical conditions that prohibit participation in a diet-related study; 5. limited English-language proficiency; 6. participants unwilling or unable to give informed consent, accept random assignment, attend dietary counseling sessions, adhere to treatment prescription, or complete study measures; 7. parent or caregivers who do not otherwise meet the eligibility criteria listed in sections above as determined by pre-screen;
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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
1 site. 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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Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
RECRUITINGNashville, Tennessee, 37240, United States
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