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NCT Number: NCT06969235

Examining the Role of Executive Functioning in Family-Based Intensive Health Behavior and Lifestyle Treatment

The objectives of this open trial feasibility study are to examine the impacts of intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment (IHBLT) on youth and caregiver executive functioning (EF), weight status, health behaviors (dietary intake, disordered eating, physical activity), and psychological functioning. Investigators propose to enroll 10 youth 13 to 17 years of age who have overweight or obesity (OV/OB) and a primary caregiver. Families will receive six months of evidence-based family focused group IHBLT based on social, cognitive, and family systems theories. Families will complete assessments of EF skills (objective and self-report), weight status, dietary intake, physical activity, and psychological functioning at pre- and post-treatment.

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Key information

Conditions

Pediatric Overweight

Age range

13 year–17 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

College of Health Sciences, University of Missouri

Columbia, Missouri, 65211, United States

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Crystal Lim, PhD, ABPP

CONTACT

[email protected]

573-882-2667

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Youth 13-17 years old
  • Youth with OV/OB (BMI≥85th percentile for age/gender norms)
  • Participating caregiver must be the participating youth's legal guardian
  • Participating youth and caregiver speak and read English
  • Participating youth and caregiver agree to attend IHBLT group meetings in-between the pre- and post-treatment assessments.

Exclusion criteria

  • Youth pervasive developmental disorder (e.g., intellectual disability)
  • Youth or caregiver in commercial weight loss program or taking prescribed medications for the prior three months that impact appetite or weight
  • Youth or caregiver with documented history of eating disorder or untreated severe depression
  • Both youth and caregiver scores are two standard deviations or above the mean on the CPT-3 Commissions and Stroop Interference, representing significantly higher than average EF skills.

Treatment and study plan

intensive health behavior and lifestyle treatment

Behavioral

the IHLBT will consist of 18 group meetings over 6 months that teens and parents attend. Topics covered during the meetings will include discussions regarding nutrition and physical activity recommendations, family communication, and use of strategies like monitoring, planning, goal setting, and problem solving.

Primary outcomes

  1. Youth EF - CPT-3 Commissions

    Time frame: Post-Treatment (Month 6)

    Youth T-score on the Continuous Performance Test Third Edition (CPT-3) Commissions subscale; T-scores (M = 50, SD = 10) used with higher scores representing worse executive functioning (EF)

  2. Youth EF - Stroop

    Time frame: Post-Treatment (Month 6)

    Youth T-score on the Stroop Color Word Interference scale; T-scores (Mean = 50, SD = 10) used, with higher scores indicating better executive functioning (EF)

  3. Youth EF - Trails B

    Time frame: Post-Treatment (Month 6)

    Youth Trails B z-score; z-score (Mean = 0, SD = 1), with lower scores indicating worse executive functioning (EF)

  4. Youth EF - BRIEF-2 Self Report GEC

    Time frame: Post-Treatment (Month 6)

    Youth self-report on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Second Edition (BRIEF-2) Global Executive Composite (GEC) subscale T-score; T-score (Mean = 50, SD = 10), with higher scores representing worse executive functioning (EF)

  5. Youth EF - BRIEF-2 Parent Report GEC

    Time frame: Post-Treatment (Month 6)

    Parent-report of youth Global Executive Composite (GEC) subscale T-score on the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function Second Edition (BRIEF-2); T-score (Mean = 50, SD = 10), with higher scores representing worse executive functioning (EF)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Youth Weight Status

    Time frame: Post-Treatment (Month 6)

    Youth body mass index (BMI) BMI z-score calculated based on height and weight measurements; z-scores have Mean = 0 and SD = 1; higher scores indicate higher weight status

  2. Youth Dietary Intake

    Time frame: Post-Treatment (Month 6)

    Youth Total kcals from 24 hour dietary recall

  3. Youth Physical Activity

    Time frame: Post-Treatment (Month 6)

    Youth time spent in moderate/vigorous physical activity on BLOCK screener

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Missouri-Columbia

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Examining the Role of Executive Functioning in Family-Based Intensive Health Behavior and Lifestyle Treatment to Address Pediatric Obesity (Healthy LIFT Groups)

Acronym: Healthy LIFT

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2027
First posted
May 13, 2025
Registry last updated
Feb 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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