Research Areas of Interest
- Pediatric Obesity
- Type 2 Diabetes
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Obesity Pharmacotherapy and Bariatric Surgery
Research Overview
The Vidmar Lab is interested is improving patient outcomes through novel clinical approaches and behavioral interventions for youth living with obesity.
Our lab is interested in four components of the treatment of obesity in youth:
- Chrononutrition: Our team is investigating how pediatric chronobiology intersects with nutrition and obesity. We are gathering data on how time-restricted eating affects cardiometabolic health and glycemic profiles in youth across the spectrum of beta-cell dysfunction.
- Intersection between obesity pharmacotherapy and eating phenotyping: Our lab seeks a better understanding of how obesity pharmacotherapy treats and moderates the relationship between eating phenotypes and other clinical outcomes.
- Wearable technology: Our lab aims to utilize continuous glucose monitors as real-time biofeedback to help engagement with lifestyle modification, obesity pharmacotherapy, and surgical interventions for obesity management in youth.
- Integration of obesity pharmacotherapy and pre-and post-operative bariatric surgery algorithms: Our lab is examining how to apply obesity pharmacotherapy algorithms safely and effectively to pediatric bariatric surgery pathways to augment clinical and psychosocial outcomes in immediate and long-term follow-up periods.
Funding
- K23 Award from the NIH National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- Innovative Clinical Science Award from the American Diabetes Association
- Sacchi Research Foundation Award
- The Saban Research Institute, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles
- Pediatric Endocrine Society
Ongoing Studies
Dr. Vidmar’s lab is participating in two medication-related clinical trials and three investigator initiated clinical trials:
- Early vs. late time restricted eating in adolescents with obesity at risk for diabetes
- Time Restricted Eating in Youth with Type 2 Diabetes
- Early Re-Initiation of Semaglutide Post Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy in Youth
- Efficacy and Safety of Tirzepatide Once Weekly versus Placebo for the Treatment of Obesity and Weight-Related Comorbidities in Adolescents: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial (SURMOUNT-ADOLESCENTS-2)
- A Phase 3, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial: Multiple Independent Sub-studies of Setmelanotide in Patients with POMC/PCSK1, LEPR, NCOA1 (SRC1), or SH2B1 Gene Variants in the Melanocortin-4 Receptor Pathway
Key Findings
- 8-hour time restricted eating is feasibility and acceptability in young people living with obesity, with and without diabetes and results in meaningful weight loss
- Obesity pharmacotherapies are safe, well tolerated, and effective across different groups of youth living with obesity including younger cohorts and youth living with various syndromic conditions
- Our lab leads the field in investigating obesity pharmacotherapy as a multi-modal approach to comprehensive obesity care both before and after metabolic and bariatric surgery
- Continuous glucose monitors are a feasible and acceptable wearable technology that can be used to augment efficacy of intensive health and behavioral modification in youth living with obesity.
