Exercise-Based Obesity Simulation and Weight Bias

NCT07430891 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: 2024-135
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 107
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

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.

Conditions

Weight Bias; Health Professions Education; Implicit Bias

Keywords

obesity simulation; weight stigma; experiential learning; simulation-based education; medical education

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Change in Implicit Weight Bias

  Implicit weight bias was assessed using the Weight Implicit Association Test (IAT). D-scores reflect the strength of automatic pro-thin/anti-fat associations. Higher positive scores indicate stronger implicit anti-fat bias. The primary outcome is the change in IAT D-score from baseline to 8-week follow-up.

  Baseline, 1-week, and 8 weeks post-intervention

Secondary Outcomes (3)

• Explicit Weight Bias

  Baseline, 1 week, and 8 weeks post-intervention

• Clinical Decision-Making Quality

  Baseline, 1 week, and 8 weeks post-intervention

• Reflective Learning Quality

  1 week post-intervention only

Study Arms (3)

Control

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants completed a time-matched session consisting of a 10-minute professional communication micro-module (etiquette, active listening, teamwork; no obesity-related content) followed by approximately 20 minutes of low-intensity stretching. The session was designed to control for instructor attention and time without exposure to exercise or obesity simulation.

Behavioral: Control

Exercise-only

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants completed a 30-minute treadmill walking session consisting of a 5-minute warm-up (2.5 mph, 0% grade), 20-minute walk (2.5 mph, 6% grade), and 5-minute cool-down. Heart rate and perceived exertion were monitored to ensure moderate-intensity exercise.

Behavioral: Exercise-only

Exercise with Obesity Simulation Suit

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants completed the same 30-minute treadmill protocol as the exercise-only group while wearing an adjustable obesity simulation suit. The suit added approximately 20% of body mass to simulate increased body weight and movement constraints during exercise.

Behavioral: Exercise with Obesity Simulation Suit

Interventions

Exercise with Obesity Simulation Suit BEHAVIORAL

Participants completed the same 30-minute treadmill protocol as the exercise-only group while wearing an adjustable obesity simulation suit. The suit added approximately 20% of body mass to simulate increased body weight and movement constraints during exercise.

Exercise with Obesity Simulation Suit

Exercise-only BEHAVIORAL

Participants completed a 30-minute treadmill walking session consisting of a 5-minute warm-up (2.5 mph, 0% grade), 20-minute walk (2.5 mph, 6% grade), and 5-minute cool-down. Heart rate and perceived exertion were monitored to ensure moderate-intensity exercise.

Exercise-only

Control BEHAVIORAL

Participants completed a time-matched session consisting of a 10-minute professional communication micro-module (etiquette, active listening, teamwork; no obesity-related content) followed by approximately 20 minutes of low-intensity stretching. The session was designed to control for instructor attention and time without exposure to exercise or obesity simulation.

Control

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 30 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Undergraduate student enrolled at the University of Wisconsin-River Falls in a health professions-related program or major
• Age 18 years or older
• Able to safely participate in moderate-intensity treadmill walking
• Cleared to participate based on the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) preparticipation screening algorithm
• Willing and able to provide informed consent and complete study assessments at baseline, 1-week, and 8-week follow-up

You may not qualify if:

• Contraindications to exercise or treadmill walking based on ACSM screening (e.g., symptoms suggestive of cardiovascular, metabolic, or renal disease without medical clearance)
• Current or past eating disorder (self-reported)
• Body dysmorphic disorder (self-reported)
• Recent weight-related trauma within the past 12 months (self-reported)
• Any condition or injury that would make treadmill walking unsafe, as determined during screening

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of Wisconsin, River Falls: lead

Study Sites (1)

University of Wisconsin-River Falls

River Falls, Wisconsin, 54022, United States

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Weight Prejudice; Bias, Implicit

Interventions

Exercise

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Prejudice; Social Behavior; Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena

Study Officials

• Gregory Ruegsegger

  University of Wisconsin, River Falls

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: HEALTH SERVICES RESEARCH
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Professor

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: February 18, 2026
• First Posted: February 24, 2026
• Study Start: February 1, 2024
• Primary Completion: February 1, 2026
• Study Completion: February 1, 2026
• Last Updated: February 27, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-02

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

US (1)