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Behavioral and Pharmacologic Treatment of Binge Eating and Obesity: Acute Treatment

Behavioral and Pharmacologic Treatment of Binge Eating and Obesity

Status
Completed
Phases
Phase 2Phase 3
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03045341
Enrollment
136
Registered
2017-02-07
Start date
2017-02-27
Completion date
2022-12-16
Last updated
2023-03-08

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

Conditions

Binge-eating Disorder, Obesity

Brief summary

This study will test the effectiveness and relative efficacy of behavioral and pharmacologic treatments, alone and in combination, for the treatment of binge eating disorder (BED) in patients with obesity. This is an acute treatment comparing behavioral weight loss alone or in combination with naltrexone/bupropion medication.

Detailed description

Binge eating disorder (BED), the most prevalent formal eating disorder, is associated strongly with obesity and bio-psychosocial impairment. Improved treatments for obese patients with BED are needed that can produce sustained clinical outcomes and promote weight loss. This study (acute treatment stage) aims to test the effectiveness of behavioral weight loss (BWL) and pharmacological treatment with Naltrexone/Bupropion (NB; a recently FDA-approved anti-obesity combination medication), alone and in combination, for the treatment of BED in patients with obesity. The acute treatment stage stage RCT will provide new findings regarding the effectiveness of NB medication and whether this specific combination of BWL and NB medication is effective for patients with obesity and BED. N=160 patients with BED and obesity will be randomly assigned (double-blind) in a balanced factorial (2 X 2) design trial, to one of four 16-week interventions: BWL+NB, BWL+Placebo, NB, or Placebo. This study will produce important new information about the relative efficacy of BWL and this recently FDA-approved anti-obesity (NB medicine), alone and in combination, for BED in patients with obesity.

Interventions

OTHERPlacebo

Placebo

Sponsors

National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
CollaboratorNIH
Yale University
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 70 Years
Healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

* Binge eating disorder (full criteria as described in the American Psychiatric Association Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition) * BMI 27-30 with a controlled obesity-related co-morbidity; or BMI ≥ 30 and \<50; * Available for the duration of the treatment and follow-up (20 months); * Read, comprehend, and write English at a sufficient level to complete study-related materials; * Able to travel to study location (New Haven, CT) for weekly visits.

Exclusion criteria

* Currently taking anti-depressant medications; * Currently taking opioid pain medications or drugs; * Currently taking medications that influence eating/weight; * History of seizures; * Current substance use disorder or other severe psychiatric disturbance (e.g., suicidality); * Past or current anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa; * Pregnant or breastfeeding; * Medical status judged by study physician as contraindication.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Binge Eating Frequency (Continuous)Post-treatment (4 months)Binge eating will be assessed by interview and self-report and the primary outcome is frequency. Frequency will be defined continuously (analyzed dimensionally).
Body Mass Index (Percent Weight Loss)Post-treatment (4 months)BMI is calculated using measured height and weight. Percent weight loss, where negative values represent proportional weight loss, is calculated as the difference between weight at post-treatment and baseline weight, divided by baseline weight. By definition, all participants have 0% weight loss at baseline.

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Number of Participants Meeting Response CriteriaPost-treatment (4 months)Binge eating frequency will be assessed by interview and self-report. Frequency is defined categorically (response to treatment or non-response to treatment). Response to treatment is defined as a 65% reduction in binge eating frequency in past month, compared to baseline.

Countries

United States

Participant flow

Participants by arm

ArmCount
Placebo
Participants randomly assigned to this arm will receive 16 weeks of placebo. Placebo will be inactive and taken daily in pill form. Placebo: Placebo
34
NB Medication
Participants randomly assigned to this arm will receive 16 weeks of NB medication. NB medication will combine naltrexone sustained-release (SR, 32 mg/day) combined with bupropion SR (360 mg/day) taken daily in pill form. NB medication (Naltrexone Bupropion combination): NB medication
32
BWL + Placebo
Participants randomly assigned to this arm will receive 16 weeks of Behavioral Weight Loss (BWL) counseling and placebo. Placebo will be inactive and taken daily in pill form. Behavioral Weight Loss (BWL) counseling: BWL counseling Placebo: Placebo
35
BWL + NB Medication
Participants randomly assigned to this arm will receive 16 weeks of Behavioral Weight Loss (BWL) counseling and NB medication. NB medication will combine naltrexone sustained-release (SR, 32 mg/day) combined with bupropion SR (360 mg/day) taken daily in pill form. NB medication (Naltrexone Bupropion combination): NB medication Behavioral Weight Loss (BWL) counseling: BWL counseling
35
Total136

Baseline characteristics

CharacteristicNB MedicationTotalBWL + NB MedicationBWL + PlaceboPlacebo
Age, Continuous46.03 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.95
46.50 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.23
46.99 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.98
46.00 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 11.87
46.94 years
STANDARD_DEVIATION 12.57
Education
College
7 Participants32 Participants10 Participants5 Participants10 Participants
Education
High School
5 Participants21 Participants5 Participants4 Participants7 Participants
Education
More than College
14 Participants43 Participants9 Participants12 Participants8 Participants
Education
Some College
6 Participants40 Participants11 Participants14 Participants9 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Hispanic or Latino
7 Participants20 Participants4 Participants5 Participants4 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Not Hispanic or Latino
25 Participants116 Participants31 Participants30 Participants30 Participants
Ethnicity (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
American Indian or Alaska Native
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Asian
1 Participants5 Participants1 Participants0 Participants3 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Black or African American
3 Participants18 Participants4 Participants8 Participants3 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
More than one race
3 Participants7 Participants1 Participants1 Participants2 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
Unknown or Not Reported
0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants0 Participants
Race (NIH/OMB)
White
25 Participants106 Participants29 Participants26 Participants26 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Female
26 Participants111 Participants29 Participants28 Participants28 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Male
5 Participants22 Participants6 Participants5 Participants6 Participants
Sex/Gender, Customized
Other
1 Participants3 Participants0 Participants2 Participants0 Participants
Sexual Orientation
Bisexual
2 Participants4 Participants1 Participants0 Participants1 Participants
Sexual Orientation
Gay or Lesbian
0 Participants4 Participants1 Participants1 Participants2 Participants
Sexual Orientation
Heterosexual
29 Participants125 Participants33 Participants33 Participants30 Participants
Sexual Orientation
Other
1 Participants3 Participants0 Participants1 Participants1 Participants

Adverse events

Event typeEG000
affected / at risk
EG001
affected / at risk
EG002
affected / at risk
EG003
affected / at risk
deaths
Total, all-cause mortality
0 / 310 / 270 / 290 / 31
other
Total, other adverse events
18 / 3124 / 2720 / 2924 / 31
serious
Total, serious adverse events
0 / 310 / 271 / 290 / 31

Outcome results

Primary

Binge Eating Frequency (Continuous)

Binge eating will be assessed by interview and self-report and the primary outcome is frequency. Frequency will be defined continuously (analyzed dimensionally).

Time frame: Post-treatment (4 months)

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
PlaceboBinge Eating Frequency (Continuous)9.90 binge-eating episodes per monthStandard Deviation 20.31
NB MedicationBinge Eating Frequency (Continuous)7.63 binge-eating episodes per monthStandard Deviation 9.77
BWL + PlaceboBinge Eating Frequency (Continuous)3.30 binge-eating episodes per monthStandard Deviation 5.28
BWL + NB MedicationBinge Eating Frequency (Continuous)1.97 binge-eating episodes per monthStandard Deviation 4.87
Comparison: BWL versus no BWLp-value: 0.0001Mixed Models Analysis
Comparison: NB versus placebop-value: 0.58Mixed Models Analysis
Primary

Body Mass Index (Percent Weight Loss)

BMI is calculated using measured height and weight. Percent weight loss, where negative values represent proportional weight loss, is calculated as the difference between weight at post-treatment and baseline weight, divided by baseline weight. By definition, all participants have 0% weight loss at baseline.

Time frame: Post-treatment (4 months)

Population: Analyses used all available data.

ArmMeasureValue (MEAN)Dispersion
PlaceboBody Mass Index (Percent Weight Loss)1.05 percentage of baseline weightStandard Deviation 4.26
NB MedicationBody Mass Index (Percent Weight Loss)-2.11 percentage of baseline weightStandard Deviation 5.41
BWL + PlaceboBody Mass Index (Percent Weight Loss)-4.42 percentage of baseline weightStandard Deviation 5.7
BWL + NB MedicationBody Mass Index (Percent Weight Loss)-5.71 percentage of baseline weightStandard Deviation 5.85
Comparison: BWL versus no BWLp-value: 0.0001Mixed Models Analysis
Comparison: NB versus placebop-value: 0.63Mixed Models Analysis
Secondary

Number of Participants Meeting Response Criteria

Binge eating frequency will be assessed by interview and self-report. Frequency is defined categorically (response to treatment or non-response to treatment). Response to treatment is defined as a 65% reduction in binge eating frequency in past month, compared to baseline.

Time frame: Post-treatment (4 months)

ArmMeasureValue (COUNT_OF_PARTICIPANTS)
PlaceboNumber of Participants Meeting Response Criteria14 Participants
NB MedicationNumber of Participants Meeting Response Criteria14 Participants
BWL + PlaceboNumber of Participants Meeting Response Criteria20 Participants
BWL + NB MedicationNumber of Participants Meeting Response Criteria25 Participants
Comparison: Analyses used all available data.p-value: 0.004Chi-squared

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Feb 5, 2026