NCT07430891

Exercise-Based Obesity Simulation and Weight Bias

Completed NA Last updated 27 February 2026

What this trial tests

NA trial testing Exercise with Obesity Simulation Suit in Weight Bias in 107 participants. Completed in 1 February 2026.

Timeline

1 February 2024

Primary endpoint
1 February 2026

1 February 2026

Quick facts

Lead sponsor	University of Wisconsin, River Falls
Phase	NA
Status	Completed
Study type	INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation	randomized
Design	parallel
Masking	none
Primary purpose	health services research
Enrollment	107
Start date	1 February 2024
Primary completion	1 February 2026
Estimated completion	1 February 2026
Sites	1 location across United States

Drugs / interventions tested

• Exercise with Obesity Simulation Suit
• Exercise-only
• Control

Conditions studied

• Weight Bias — all drugs for Weight Bias →
• Health Professions Education — all drugs for Health Professions Education →
• Implicit Bias — all drugs for Implicit Bias →

Sponsor

University of Wisconsin, River Falls

Who can join

Adults 18 to 30, any sex, with Weight Bias or Health Professions Education. Patients with the condition only — healthy volunteers not accepted.

Sponsor's own description

This study examines whether an exercise-based simulation can reduce weight bias and improve professional skills among health professions students. Weight stigma in healthcare settings can negatively affect patient communication, clinical decision-making, and patient engagement in health-promoting behaviors.

In this randomized controlled trial, undergraduate health professions students were assigned to one of three groups: (1) a control group completing a communication module and light stretching, (2) an exercise-only group completing treadmill walking, or (3) an exercise group completing treadmill walking while wearing an obesity simulation suit designed to represent additional body weight. The simulation aimed to provide students with an experiential understanding of movement challenges associated with higher body weight.

Participants completed assessments at baseline, one week, and eight weeks after the intervention. Outcomes included measures of implicit and explicit weight bias, empathy, clinical decision-making using patient scenarios, professional behavioral intentions, and reflective learning.

The purpose of this study is to determine whether a brief experiential intervention can reduce weight bias and improve competencies related to patient-centered and weight-inclusive care in health professions education.

Publications & conference data

1 peer-reviewed publication reference this trial (live from Europe PMC):

1. Exercise-based obesity simulation reduces weight bias and improves clinical decision-making in health professions students: a randomized controlled trial.
   Ruegsegger GN, Lopez RL, Bates JJ. · · 2026 · PMID 42129803 · DOI 10.1186/s12909-026-09423-0