Project Grant R01DK144115

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases awarded the University of Alabama at Birmingham $743,243 on August 1, 2026, under the Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases Extramural Research program (CFDA 93.847) to conduct a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial optimizing intensive behavioral therapy for obesity in adults aged 50 to 75 years.

The trial will enroll 250 adults with obesity to determine the optimal first-line diet strategy—high-protein versus standard-protein—and adherence-promoting augmentation strategy—protein supplements versus supervised resistance exercise training—for achieving clinically important weight loss while preserving skeletal muscle. Participants will receive 16 weeks of weekly group-based intensive behavioral therapy followed by 36 weeks of monthly maintenance sessions. The study addresses the clinical challenge that aging adults with obesity face concurrent risk of sarcopenia and cardiometabolic disease; current intensive behavioral therapy approaches inadequately promote adherence to high-protein diets and resistance exercise, both protective against muscle loss during weight reduction.

Research will be performed in Birmingham, Alabama. The period of performance runs through May 31, 2031. This is a Project Grant award under the assistance type classification.