The Physiology Of the WEight Reduced State (POWERS) study: overview and study design

Area of Science:

• Obesity research
• Metabolic adaptations
• Behavioral science

Background:

• Obesity increases risks for chronic and infectious diseases, reducing life expectancy.
• Intentional weight loss (WL) offers clinical benefits but is often followed by weight regain.
• Metabolic adaptations in the weight-reduced state can counteract weight maintenance efforts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe behavioral and metabolic adaptations in the weight-reduced state.
• To examine the contributions of these adaptations to weight variability after WL.
• To identify factors explaining weight change variability following intentional weight loss.

Main Methods:

• A multi-center study involving a behavioral intervention to induce WL.
• A 1-year observational phase with physiological and behavioral phenotyping for participants achieving significant WL.
• Assessment of energy intake and expenditure using biospecimens, neuroimaging, objective measures, and self-report questionnaires.

Main Results:

• The study quantifies physiological, psychosocial, and behavioral factors before and after a WL intervention.
• Primary outcomes measure weight change during the observational period.
• Independent variables focus on detailed endophenotypes of energy intake and expenditure.

Conclusions:

• Understanding adaptations to weight reduction is crucial for developing effective weight maintenance strategies.
• Identifying factors contributing to weight regain can inform personalized interventions.
• This research aims to reduce the public health burden of obesity by improving long-term weight management.