RecruitingInterventional

Support for weight loss for adults from the dental team when attending routine appointments at dental practices

This study explores if dental teams can play a part in helping adults manage their weight and improve their health. Many health problems, like diabetes and heart disease, are linked to obesity, and these can even affect your oral health. The study wants to see if measuring height and weight (to calculate BMI) and talking about weight during routine dental appointments is helpful and something people would be happy with. If you take part, your height and weight will be checked, you'll fill out a short form, and your dental team will talk about your health and weight. You'll then be randomly put into one of two groups to test different ways of offering support. The aim is to find out if this approach could work well across the UK.

At a glance

Status

Recruiting

Sponsor

Loughborough University

Enrolment target

Start

20 Jan 2026

Estimated completion

31 Dec 2026

Obesity

What is this study about?

Living with obesity can sometimes lead to health issues such as type 2 diabetes (which affects your blood sugar) and heart disease. These health concerns can also impact your mouth health; for example, people with diabetes are more likely to have gum disease. We know that good dental care can even help with managing diabetes.

The NHS already offers support for people living with overweight and obesity to help them improve their health. This study is exploring a new idea: can your dental team also help? We know that many people in the UK would be comfortable having their height and weight measured at a dental appointment and would be happy for their dental team to discuss weight management with them. However, this isn't a common practice in dental surgeries yet.

So, this study aims to find out if measuring height and weight (to calculate your Body Mass Index or BMI) during routine dental visits, and then having a discussion with your dental team about your weight and offering support, is a practical and acceptable way to help people improve their health and work towards weight loss.

Key takeaways

This study explores new ways for dental teams to help you manage your weight.
It involves measuring your height and weight at your routine dental visit.
You'll have a discussion about your health and weight with your dental team.
You'll be randomly assigned to one of two support groups.
Participation involves short questionnaires and a follow-up call over 6 weeks.
Your feedback could help improve health advice for many people in the UK.

Who may be eligible?

To be considered for this study, you need to be at least 18 years old and be attending a routine dental appointment at one of the participating dental practices. You also need to be happy for your height and weight to be measured.

If your initial measurements show that your BMI is in the range considered to be living with obesity (a BMI of 30 or more for most people, or 27.5 or more if you have an Asian, Black, or Middle Eastern background), you might be asked to take part in the main study. You also need to be able to understand English well enough to follow the study instructions and fill out forms.

The study cannot include you if you are pregnant or planning to become pregnant during the study, or if you have certain mobility issues that would make it difficult to measure your height and weight. Also, if your dental team feels it's not suitable for you to participate (for example, if you have an eating disorder or are already in another weight loss study), you won't be able to join.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Are you 18 years old or older?
Are you attending a routine dental appointment at a participating practice?
Are you comfortable having your height and weight measured?
Do you understand English well enough to follow study instructions and fill out forms?
Are you not pregnant or planning to be pregnant during the study?
Is your dental team happy for you to take part?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

If you decide to take part in this study, the first step will be to have your height and weight measured during your routine dental appointment. If your measurements fit the study's criteria and you agree to join, you'll complete a consent form and a short questionnaire asking for your contact details and a few health questions.

After that, you'll have your dental appointment as usual, and your dental team will a discussion about your health and weight. The study is comparing two different ways dental professionals can support people with weight loss. You'll be randomly put into one of two groups (like flipping a coin) – one group will get information, and the other will receive both information and support. This helps us see which approach might be more effective. We can't choose which group you're in; a computer decides this randomly.

Right after your appointment, you'll answer a very short two-question survey. Within seven days, the research team will call you for a quick chat about your experience. Then, six weeks later, you'll receive a questionnaire in the post to complete, asking about any healthy activities you've been doing and for an updated weight measurement. As a thank you for returning this final questionnaire, you'll receive a £10 gift voucher. The study is expected to run from February 2024 to December 2026.

Potential risks and benefits

Taking part in this study could potentially help you improve your health. By sharing your experience, you'll also be providing valuable information that could help many other people improve their health in the future. As a thank you for completing the final questionnaire at six weeks, you will receive a £10 gift voucher. We don't expect any risks or disadvantages from participating in this study. You are free to withdraw from the study at any time without giving a reason, and this will not affect your dental care.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

3-5 dental practices in England (TBC) providing NHS dental care or a combination of NHS and private dental care.
City only
-, England

Common questions

What is BMI?

BMI stands for Body Mass Index. It's a measure that uses your height and weight to work out if your weight is healthy.

Why is my dental team asking about weight?

This study is exploring if dental teams, who you see regularly, could help support people with managing their weight and improving their overall health, as there's a link between dental health and general health.

Do I have to take part if asked?

No, taking part is completely your choice. Your decision will not affect your dental care in any way.

What happens after the dental appointment?

You'll be contacted by phone within a week for a short chat, and then receive a questionnaire by post after six weeks to check in on your progress.

Will I get paid for taking part?

You'll receive a £10 gift voucher after you complete and return the final questionnaire at the 6-week mark.

How to find out more

Jessica Large

j.large@lboro.ac.uk +44 (0)1509 223008 Official trial record

Always speak to your GP or specialist before deciding to take part in a study.