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Weight Loss Using the Take Shape For Life Program or the Medifast Direct Program Versus a Self-Directed Diet

A Randomized, Controlled, 3-Arm Clinical Trial to Assess Weight Loss Using the Take Shape For Life Program or the Medifast Direct Program Versus a Self-Directed Diet

Status
Completed
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT02835092
Enrollment
198
Registered
2016-07-15
Start date
2016-07-31
Completion date
2017-02-28
Last updated
2019-01-22

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Obesity, Overweight

Brief summary

The study evaluates the effects of two commercially available weight loss programs, the TSFL and the MEDD programs, each compared to a self-directed control diet, on changes in body weight over a 16-week weight loss phase, in apparently healthy overweight and obese men and women.

Interventions

OTHERTake Shape For Life Program

The Take Shape For Life (TSFL) Program group will be assigned to the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan™ for weight loss. This group will have scheduled coaching sessions with a TSFL coach for the duration of the study.

OTHERMedifast Direct Program

The Medifast Direct Program (MEDD) group will be assigned to the Medifast Achieve™ Plan (4 & 2 & 1 Plan®) for weight loss. MEDD participants will have access to the services of the Medifast Nutrition Support Team.

OTHERSelf-directed Control

The Self-directed Control Group will be assigned to a food-based, reduced calorie diet consistent with the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Sponsors

BioFortis
CollaboratorOTHER
Medifast, Inc.
Lead SponsorINDUSTRY

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 65 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Participant is judged by the Clinical Investigator to be in good health on the basis of medical history and screening laboratory assessments. * Participant has a BMI of 27.0 to 42.0 kg/m2 at start of intervention. * Participant has no plans to change smoking habits during the study period. * Participant is willing and able to comply with the visit schedule. * Participant is willing to modify their physical activity level in accordance with recommendations provided with each group. * In the Clinical Investigator's opinion, participant has interest in losing weight, and is ready and willing to do so. * Participant is willing/able to follow assigned plan and adhere to food and beverage consumption guidelines for the duration of the study period. * Participant has access to the internet via a computer, tablet, and/or smart phone. * Participant understands the study procedures and signs forms providing informed consent to participate in the study and authorization for release of relevant protected health information to the study Clinical Investigators.

Exclusion criteria

* Participant has an abnormal laboratory test result of clinical significance at the screening visit, at the discretion of the Clinical Investigator. * Participant has had a weight loss or gain \>5% in the 6 months prior to the screening visit except in the case of post-partum weight loss. * Participant has extreme dietary habits, including vegetarianism, in the judgment of the Clinical Investigator. * Participant has used medications, products, supplements, and/or programs/diets intended to alter body weight within 6 months of the screening visit. * Participant has used medications which are known to stimulate or suppress appetite, and/or alter body weight but which are taken for other indications, will be allowed as long as the dose has remained stable for the past 6 months. * Participant has used thyroid hormones, except stable-dose replacement therapy for ≥2 months prior to the screening visit. * Participant has used Coumadin® (warfarin), and/or medications that may influence lipids and/or blood pressure, except stable-dose medications for 1 month prior to the screening visit. * Participant has used medications that may influence carbohydrate metabolism, including but not limited to hypoglycemic medications and systemic (intravenous, intramuscular, or oral) corticosteroids within 1 month of the screening visit. * Participant has used lithium within 1 month of the screening visit. * Participant has a history of any surgery or liposuction for weight reducing purposes. * Participant has a history or presence of clinically important gout, cardiac, renal, hepatic, endocrine (type 1 diabetes mellitus or type 2 diabetes mellitus that requires medication), pulmonary, biliary, pancreatic, or neurologic disorders. * Participant has a history of an eating disorder (e.g., anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa or binge eating) diagnosed by a health professional. * Participant has uncontrolled hypertension (systolic blood pressure ≥160 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥100 mm Hg) as defined by the blood pressure measured at screening visit. * Participant has a history or presence of cancer in the prior 2 years, except for non-melanoma skin cancer. * Participant has elective hospitalizations planned (e.g., elective cosmetic procedures) during the study period. * Participant is a female who is pregnant, planning to be pregnant during the study period, lactating, or is of childbearing potential and is unwilling to commit to the use of a medically approved form of contraception throughout the study period. * Participant has a recent history of (within 12 months of Visit 1; week -1) or strong potential for alcohol or substance abuse. Alcohol abuse defined as \>14 drinks/week (1 drink = 12 oz beer, 5 oz wine, or 1½ oz distilled spirits). * Participant has a known allergy, sensitivity, or intolerance to the study foods or any ingredient(s) of the study diets (e.g., soy, gluten, wheat, lactose). * Exposure to any non-registered drug product within 1 month prior to the screening visit. * Participant has a condition the Clinical Investigator believes would interfere with his or her ability to provide informed consent, comply with the study protocol, or which might confound the interpretation of the study results or put the person at undue risk.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Body Weight Change16 weeksBody weight (in gown, without shoes) was measured at each clinic visit on a medical quality digital scale (Health-o-meter 349KLX, Pelstar, McCook, IL) following a 10-14-hr fast. The relevant time points to determine body weight change were baseline and 16 weeks. The value for body weight at 16 weeks minus the value at baseline was the calculation used to determine body weight change.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Self-directed Control
Self-directed Control: The Self-directed Control Group will be assigned to a food-based, reduced calorie diet consistent with the 2015 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
66
Take Shape For Life Program
Take Shape For Life Program: The Take Shape For Life (TSFL) Program group will be assigned to the Optimal Weight 5 & 1 Plan™ for weight loss. This group will have scheduled coaching sessions with a TSFL coach for the duration of the study.
65
Medifast Direct Program
Medifast Direct Program: The Medifast Direct Program (MEDD) group will be assigned to the Medifast Achieve™ Plan (4 & 2 & 1 Plan®) for weight loss. MEDD participants will have access to the services of the Medifast Nutrition Support Team.
67
Total198

Withdrawals & dropouts

PeriodReasonFG000FG001FG002
Overall StudyLost to Follow-up020
Overall StudyWithdrawal by Subject363

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicSelf-directed ControlTake Shape For Life ProgramMedifast Direct ProgramTotal
Age, Continuous46.3 years45.2 years45.7 years45.7 years
Body Mass Index (BMI)33.81 kg/m^234.49 kg/m^234.20 kg/m^234.16 kg/m^2
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
2 Participants2 Participants0 Participants4 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
11 Participants13 Participants10 Participants34 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
2 Participants3 Participants0 Participants5 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
1 Participants2 Participants3 Participants6 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
50 Participants45 Participants54 Participants149 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Female
54 Participants52 Participants54 Participants160 Participants
Sex: Female, Male
Male
12 Participants13 Participants13 Participants38 Participants
Weight93.90 kg95.51 kg95.80 kg95.07 kg

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 660 / 650 / 67
other
Total, other adverse events
15 / 669 / 6512 / 67
serious
Total, serious adverse events
1 / 662 / 651 / 67

Outcome results

Primary

Body Weight Change

Body weight (in gown, without shoes) was measured at each clinic visit on a medical quality digital scale (Health-o-meter 349KLX, Pelstar, McCook, IL) following a 10-14-hr fast. The relevant time points to determine body weight change were baseline and 16 weeks. The value for body weight at 16 weeks minus the value at baseline was the calculation used to determine body weight change.

Time frame: 16 weeks

Population: Intent-to-Treat population, includes all participants randomized into the study.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
Self-directed ControlBody Weight Change-0.23 kgStandard Error 0.39
Take Shape For Life ProgramBody Weight Change-5.13 kgStandard Error 0.86
Medifast Direct ProgramBody Weight Change-4.98 kgStandard Error 0.69

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 4, 2026