Exercising before breakfast versus after eating for weight loss and heart health in obesity
Compares 16 weeks of exercise done fasted or after eating, in adults with obesity.
Key facts
- Who runs it
- Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
- Where
- Fort Smith, United StatesSee the site
- Trial code
- Registry title
- Fasted vs. Fed State Exercise
- Status
- Recruiting
- Phase
- Phase 2
- People taking part
- 40 people, planned
- Started
- 5 Jan 2026
- Expected to end
- Dec 2027
- Type of study
- Interventional, 2 groups
- Treatments tested
- 16 week exercise intervention
- Record updated
- 23 March 2026
Who can take part
AI summary
From the trial's eligibility criteria. Machine-read from the registry text on this page, so it can be wrong. The registry text below and the trial team decide who can take part.
The trial is looking for adults aged 18-59 with a BMI of 25-45 who are healthy enough to exercise. It tests a 16-week aerobic exercise program done fasted versus after eating.
- Age
- 18 to 59 years
- Sex
- All sexes can join.
- Earlier treatment
- People cannot join if they currently exercise more than once per week, are dieting for weight loss, take weight loss drugs, or have had weight loss surgery.
Main reasons for not taking part
- Taking medications or supplements known to influence energy expenditure
- Exercising more than once per week now
- Currently dieting for weight loss or taking weight loss drugs
- Previous weight loss surgery
- Diagnosed with diabetes or heart disease (such as heart failure, uncontrolled high blood pressure, uncontrolled high cholesterol, coronary heart disease)
The registry criteria, word for word
Show all 10 criteriaShow less
Who can take part
- Aged 18-59
- BMI 25-45
- Healthy enough to exercise
Who cannot take part
- Taking medications or supplements that are known to influence energy expenditure,
- Currently taking weight loss drugs
- Have had a previous weight loss surgery
- Currently diagnosed with Diabetes
- Currently diagnosed with heart disease (Heart failure, uncontrolled hypertension, uncontrolled hypercholesterolemia, Coronary heart disease)
- Currently exercising more than once per week
- Currently dieting for weight loss
Check if you might fit
Answer for yourself. This is not a decision: only the study team can say whether you can take part.
- Are you between 18 and 59 years old?
Where in United States
- Arkansas Colleges of Health Education Research Institure Health and Wellness CenterFort Smith, United StatesContact: Kyle D Flack, PhDTaking people
About the trial
What the trial wants to find out
Although many medications exist for both heart disease and obesity, cost, lack of access for all people, side effects and the desire for a more natural solution have left many people seeking lifestyle treatments such as exercise. Scientists know that exercise is highly beneficial for heart health. When exercise also produces weight loss, these benefits are much improved. Although using exercise to treat or prevent heart disease / obesity is recommended, not all people respond well. Some see significant weight loss and health improvements while others see little changes. For these reasons, new strategies surrounding the use and design of an exercise program are needed. One such strategy could be performing aerobic exercise before breakfast (fasted exercise). When exercising fasted, food/energy stores are low, and one relies on stored body fat for energy. This may help heart health and weight loss. This has never been tested in a program long enough to see such changes. This study will, for the first time, assess the effects of a 16-week aerobic exercise program performed fasted compared to after eating. Outcomes will include blood fats, blood pressure, fat-burning abilities and weight loss.
Read full original descriptionShow less
Starting an exercise program can also make people to eat more. This limits the success of exercise. The study will also evaluate ways fasted exercise could change eating, as it possible that fasted exercise could also cause people to eat more, which would limit weight loss and health improvements.
The 2 groups in the trial
- Fasted groupTreatment being tested
Complete all exercise sessions of intervention before breakfast- fasted at least 8 hours
Treatment: 16 week exercise intervention
- Fed exercise groupTreatment being tested
Complete all exercise sessions of intervention after breakfast- within 3 hours of eating at least 300 kcal
Treatment: 16 week exercise intervention
Questions to ask the study team
- How often do I need to come in, and for how long each time?
- Are travel costs paid?
- Can I keep my own doctor?
- What happens if I want to stop?
Contact the study team: see the registry record → Contacts and Locations
Print a page for my doctorData and sources
- Registry record
- Listed on ClinicalTrials.gov.
- Official title
- Fasted vs. Fed State Exercise for Cardiovascular Health and Weight Loss
- Plain-language title
- Exercising before breakfast versus after eating for weight loss and heart health in obesityGenerated from the registry record. The registry title is the official one.
- AI summary
- From the trial's eligibility criteria. Read by machine on 13 November 2026.
- Fit questions
- Built from NCT07487090, who can take part
- Record updated
- 23 March 2026