Respiratory Muscle Training for Obesity
What You Need to Know Before You Apply
What is the purpose of this trial?
Millions of adults in America have too much body fat, resulting in obesity. Obesity is detrimental to health and causes disease. Obesity reduces brain health, which causes the brain to function less effectively. Additionally, a lack of exercise contributes to poorer brain health. Most individuals feel they do not have time to exercise. There is a need for a quicker type of training that improves brain health. Newly developed breathing exercises could be a time-efficient, cost-effective, and home-based practice to increase brain health. This practice acts as weightlifting for breathing muscles.
These new breathing exercises have already been shown to increase heart health. Heart health is linked to brain health; if an intervention helps the heart, it is likely to also help the brain. It is currently unknown if breathing training can improve brain health in younger adults with obesity. The investigators will utilize the same 8-week program shown to improve heart health. Testing will be conducted before and after the breathing training. The first part of the study will determine if breathing exercises help brain health.
Obesity also causes inflammation. This is measured via blood but affects the entire body. It is thought to cause some of the negative outcomes of obesity. By lowering inflammation, it is likely to improve overall health. Breathing exercises may reduce inflammation, but more research is required. The second part of this study will determine whether breathing exercises help reduce inflammation. This study will determine if brain health can be improved in adults with obesity. This could help 40% of American adults with obesity to live longer and healthier lives.
Who Is on the Research Team?
Joseph C Watso, PhD
Principal Investigator
Florida State University
Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?
This trial is for adults with obesity, indicated by a waist circumference of at least 88 cm for females or 102 cm for males, and a body mass index (BMI) of 30 kg/m2 or higher. It's not specified who can't join the trial.Inclusion Criteria
Timeline for a Trial Participant
Screening
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial
Treatment
Participants perform inspiratory muscle strength training (IMST) daily for eight weeks using a handheld device
Follow-up
Participants are monitored for changes in cerebrovascular function and immune status after treatment
What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?
Interventions
- Respiratory Muscle Training
Trial Overview
The study tests whether high-intensity inspiratory muscle strength training can improve brain health and reduce inflammation in obese adults. Participants will follow an 8-week breathing exercise program previously shown to enhance heart health.
How Is the Trial Designed?
2
Treatment groups
Active Control
Placebo Group
Participants will perform high-resistance inspiratory muscle strength training on a daily basis for eight weeks using a handheld device that produces resistance that increases the effort of breathing in.
Participants will perform very-low-resistance inspiratory muscle strength training on a daily basis for eight weeks using a handheld device that produces resistance that increases the effort of breathing in.
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
Florida State University
Lead Sponsor
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