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Effectiveness of Gradual Versus Rapid Weight Loss

Comparative Effectiveness of a Gradual Weight Loss Program and a Rapid Weight Loss Program (Including a Low Energy Diet) on 1-year Weight Loss in Subjects With Obesity - A Randomized, Parallel-group, Superiority Trial. (The GoLow Study).

Status
Active, not recruiting
Phases
NA
Study type
Interventional
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT03776552
Acronym
GoLow
Enrollment
293
Registered
2018-12-14
Start date
2019-04-11
Completion date
2028-12-31
Last updated
2025-06-11

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

Conditions

Obesity

Brief summary

This randomized controlled trial aims to compare the 1-year effectiveness of an initial rapid weight loss (RWL) program and a gradual weight loss (GWL) program.

Detailed description

A total of at least 286 participants will be randomized to either a 16-week rapid weight loss (RWL) program; \[an 8-week low-energy-diet (\<1000 kcal/day) - followed by an 8-week gradual increase in energy intake (4 weeks \<1300 kcal/day and 4 weeks \<1500 kcal/day)\], or a 16-week gradual weight loss (GWL) program (controls); \[estimated total energy expenditure minus 800-1000 kcal/day\]. Thereafter, all participants (both groups) will undergo a 36-week comprehensive weight maintenance program.

Interventions

OTHERRapid weight loss (RWL) program

16-week rapid weight loss (RWL) program (8-week low energy diet (LED) followed by 8-week gradual increased energy intake) and a subsequent 36-week weight-maintenance follow-up

OTHERGradual weight loss (GWL) program

16-week gradual weight loss (GWL) program (moderate calorie restriction) and a subsequent 36-week weight-maintenance follow-up

Sponsors

Roede AS
CollaboratorUNKNOWN
The Hospital of Vestfold
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)

Masking description

Outcome assessor was masked

Intervention model description

Randomized controlled study

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* • Willing and able to give informed consent for participation in the study * Living in the eastern part of Norway, mainly Oslo, Buskerud, Vestfold and Akershus * Understanding Norwegian language written and spoken easily * BMI ≥30.0 kg/m2 * Stable body weight (\<5 kg self-reported weight change) during the last 3 months before inclusion

Exclusion criteria

* • Pregnancy and breast-feeding mothers * Suspected non-compliance with regards to visits and/or diet * Severe chronic disease (endocrine disease, heart disease, neurological disease, lung disease, disease in the gastrointestinal tract, kidney disease, rheumatism or cancer).

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Change in body weight from baseline to 12 monthsBaseline to 1-yearPercent total body weight loss (%TBWL) at 12 months follow-up

Secondary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Changes in body composition 14-month and 1-yearBioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA)
Changes in body composition 24-month and 1-yearDual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) in selected participants
Changes in lipids4-month and 1-yearTotal-cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and triglycerides (mmol/l)
Changes in blood pressure4-month and 1-yearSystolic and diastolic blood pressure (mm/Hg)
Changes in glucose parameters4-month and 1-yearHbA1c (mmol/mol)
Changes in CRP4-month and 1-yearCRP (mg/L)
Changes in anthropometric measures4-month and 1-yearWaist and hip circumference (cm)
Changes in Health Related Quality of Life 24-month and 1-yearObesity specific questionnaire: IWQOL-lite. The IWQOL-Lite is a 31-item measure of weight-related quality of life. There are five domain scores (Physical Function, Self-Esteem, Sexual Life, Public Distress and Work) and a total score. Scores for all domains and total score range from 0-100, with lower scores indicating greater impairment.
Changes in Health Related Quality of Life 34-month and 1-yearWeight-related Symptom Measure (WRSM). The validated obesity specific WRSM measures 20 symptoms commonly related to being overweight or obese, including foot problems, joint pain, sensitivity to cold, shortness of breath, etc. using two different sets of items. The first set assesses whether or not a patient is experiencing specific symptoms, and the second set rates the level of the distress of the symptoms with values from zero (not at all) to six (bothers a very great deal). The first set creates an additive scale summing symptoms from 0-20, while the second forms a symptom distress scale ranging from 0-120.
Changes in symptoms of depression and anxiety4-month and 1-yearHospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). The validated generic HADS measures symptoms of anxiety and depression using 14 items scored from 0-3 It is decomposed into two domains measuring depression (HADS-D) and anxiety (HADS-A), both consisting of seven items yielding a score from 0-21.
Changes in eating behavior4-month and 1-yearThe Three Factor Eating Questionnaire -R 21 (TFEQ-R21) measures eating behaviour and has been validated for use in individuals with obesity and will be used in the study. It consists of 21 items comprising three domain scores; (1) uncontrolled eating; assessing the tendency to lose control over eating when feeling hungry or when exposed to external stimuli, (2) cognitive restraint; assessing the conscious restriction of food intake to control body weight or body shape, and (3) emotional eating; assessing overeating related to negative mood states. The domain scores were transformed to 0-100 scales to facilitate comparison; a higher score indicates more uncontrolled, restraint, or emotional eating.
Change in weight from baseline to 4 months4-monthPercent total body weight loss (%TBWL) at 4 months follow-up
Proportions of participants with a TBWL of ≥ 5%, ≥10% and ≥15% at 52-week1-yearTBWL of ≥ 5%, ≥10% and ≥15% at 52-week follow-up
Changes in Health Related Quality of Life 14-month and 1-yearGeneric questionnaire: Short Form-36 Health Survey, SF36. Each item is scored on a 0 to 100 range so that the lowest and highest possible scores are 0 and 100, respectively. Scores for each of the 8 domains and summary scores for physical and mental health will be calculated

Countries

Norway

Outcome results

None listed

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