Mapping Obesity-related Subtypes And Interconnected Clusters

ConditionsObesity Overweight (BMI > 25)

Trial statusNot yet recruiting

Trial phaseNot listed

Trial typeObservational

Biological sexAll

AgeNot listed

SponsorZuyd University of Applied Sciences

About this trial

In the Netherlands, about half of all adults are currently living with overweight. This number is expected to rise to as much as 64% by the year 2050, especially among younger adults aged 18 to 44. Overweight and obesity increase the risk of chronic conditions such as heart disease, diabetes, and joint problems. However, there is no single cause behind these issues. Instead, they result from a complex combination of factors - including nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, income, environment, and even air quality. These factors often influence each other and vary from person to person.

This study aims to better understand these patterns and connections. By analyzing large sets of data, researchers are identifying different subtypes of people with overweight or obesity. These subtypes reflect groups of individuals who share similar personal, lifestyle, and environmental characteristics. Understanding these differences makes it possible to develop more personalized lifestyle advice and support. That way, care and prevention efforts can be better tailored to what people actually need and what works best for them in practice. Experts from various fields are helping interpret the results, so that scientific insights can be translated into practical solutions for individuals, communities, and healthcare settings.

Eligibility criteria

This trial accepts healthy volunteers

Qualifiers

researchers or professionals with expertise in obesity, lifestyle, environment, psychosocial or medical factors;

experience in data interpretation and/or public health;

able to communicate in Dutch;

willing to participate in the online survey and/or expert panel meeting

Disqualifiers

no relevant domain expertise;

inability to give informed consent

Trial population

The study population consists of expert researchers and professionals from diverse domains including obesity research, medical and psychosocial health, lifestyle behavior, and environmental health sciences. Participants are selected using purposive sampling within the professional networks of the research team, followed by snowball sampling to include additional relevant experts. All participants have demonstrable expertise in interpreting data related to BMI or related influencing factors, and are capable of contributing to the interpretation of complex variable clusters from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Trial design

Design model

Other

Time perspective

Cross-sectional

Treatments tested in this trial

Not listed

Trial groups

No trial groups listed

Trial outcomes

Primary outcomes

Expert-perceived relationships between identified factors and BMI and expert assessment on identified data-clusters.

A self-developed questionnaire will be used to investigate and describe expert opinions on (1) the perceived relationsships between specific factors and BMI and (2) the expert assessment regarding data-clusters within BMI categories that has been identified in a previous study. First, the experts are invited to respond to the following question "Do you recognise a relationship between these characteristics and BMI?" on a 3-point likert scale: (1) No, I see absolutely nog relationship. (2) Yes, there may be a relationship, (3) Ik do not know. There will be space for a note. Second, identified data-clusters will be described. The experts are invited to give a brief interpretation of these clusters from their own area of expertise in an open question.

Time frame

Baseline

Secondary outcomes

Expert interpretation of within-cluster relationships and inter-cluster differences

An expert panel focus group discussion will be organized using different co-creation methods to further explore on the data-clusters within the BMI categories. By having experts from different fields share knowledge and interpretations, we expect to arrive at descriptions of specific subgroups within different BMI categories and about implications for further research and clinical implications (qualitative data-analysis).

Time frame

One week after baseline

Locations

This trial has no locations.

Sponsors and contacts

Click on the lead sponsor to view all of their trials.

Zuyd University of Applied Sciences

Lead sponsor

Statistics Netherlands (CBS)

Collaborator

LIME Limburg Measures