ObesityNCT06192537
Examining the Effect of Role-playing Exercise by Utilizing an Obesity Suit in a Simulation Scenario on Weight Bias and Empathy Levels Among Nutrition Sciences Students
A study testing A role-playing exercise by utilizing an obesity suit in a simulation scenario in people with Obesity and Bias, Weight, run by Ariel University at 1 site in Israel.
Trial summary
A quasi-experimental design (i.e., "One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design") will be applied among 34 convenient samples of undergraduate students in their first year of nutrition sciences program at Ariel University and Tel-Hai College. The intervention will take place at the simulation centers of the institutions. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Obesity, Bias, Weight
- What is being tested?
- A role-playing exercise by utilizing an obesity suit in a simulation scenario
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 34 participants
- Where
- 1 siteIsrael
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2024to 1 Aug 2024
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- undergraduate students in their first year of the nutrition sciences program at Ariel University or Tel-Hai College
- age ≥18 years
- having fluency in Hebrew
- ability to wear an obesity suit
- willingness to participate in the study
Who cannot join
None listed.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
A quasi-experimental design (i.e., "One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design") will be applied among 34 convenient samples of undergraduate students in their first year of nutrition sciences program at Ariel University and Tel-Hai College. The intervention will take place at the simulation centers of the institutions. All participants will be asked to wear an obesity simulation suit (Unisex obesity Simulation suit, Erler-Zimmer, Germany) and to participate in a standardized scenario that simulates meetings between a person with obesity and a 'registered dietitian'. The 'registered dietitian' will be presented by a professional role-player and the scenario will encompass different levels of weight bias. At baseline, 1- and 3-week post-intervention both groups will be asked to fill in a survey using "Qualtrics" software. The survey will include the Anti-Fat Attitudes questionnaire (AFA), the Short-Form of Fat-Phobia scale (F-scale), the Weight-Implicit Association-Test (weight-IAT), and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. Data on demographics, weight history, and perception, measurement of actual weight and height, and the beliefs about the causes of obesity questionnaire will be collected at baseline.
- Conditions
- Obesity, Bias, Weight
- Being tested
- A role-playing exercise by utilizing an obesity suit in a simulation scenario
- Medical subject headings
- Obesity, Weight Prejudice
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
A role-playing exercise by utilizing an obesity suit in a simulation scenarioBehavioural
All participants will be asked to wear an obesity simulation suit (Unisex obesity Simulation suit, Erler-Zimmer, Germany) and to participate in a standardized scenario that simulates meetings between a person with obesity and a 'registered dietitian'. The 'registered dietitian' will be presented by a professional role-player and the scenario will encompass different levels of weight bias through dialogue and the use of inappropriate equipment.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Not described Receives: Behavioral: A role-playing exercise by utilizing an obesity suit in a simulation scenario |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Anti-Fat Attitudes questionnaire ('AFA')
The 'AFA' indicates explicit anti-fat attitudes toward people with obesity and is composed of 13-items rated on a 10-point Likert scale and divided into three subscales ('dislike', 'fear about fat' and 'willpower'), with higher total scores indicating stronger anti-fat attitudes.
Measured: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention
The short-form of fat-phobia scale (' F-scale')
The 'F-scale' indicates fat-phobic attitudes toward people with obesity and is composed of 14-pairs of adjectives that are used to describe people with obesity (e.g., 'no willpower' vs. 'has willpower') and ranked on a 1-5 scale according to the point closest to the adjective name that describes their feelings and beliefs. Higher scores indicate stronger fat-phobic attitudes.
Measured: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention
Weight Implicit Association Test ('IAT')
IAT tool is an indirect measure of implicit bias toward weight which uses the constructs of "fat people" versus "thin people" and the polarized attitudes of "good" and "bad" to detect implicit weight bias.
Measured: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention
The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (S-version)
A 20-item scale that is designed to measure empathy in medical students.
Measured: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention
Secondary outcomes (6)
Demographics
Questions regarding age, gender, occupation, marital status, and religious affiliation.
Measured: At baseline
Weight perception
Questions regarding self-definition of weight status, the importance of weight to self-confidence, and much control a person has over the weight.
Measured: At baseline
Weight history
Questions regarding obesity during childhood, obesity during last decade, family members who struggle with obesity, currently in any process of losing weight.
Measured: At baseline
Objective weight measurement
Measurement of actual weight in kilograms.
Measured: At baseline
Objective height measurement
Measurement of actual height in meters.
Measured: At baseline
The beliefs about the causes of obesity questionnaire
Rating the importance of 20 factors contributing to obesity by using a 5-point Likert-scale response format.
Measured: At baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted5 Jan 2024
- Study start1 Mar 2024
- Primary completion1 Aug 2024
- Study completion1 Aug 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for ObesityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 34 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Ariel University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Tel Hai College
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Shiri Sherf Dagan, Ariel University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06192537
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- AU-HEA-SS-20231016-2
- Status last verified
- Aug 2024
- First submitted
- 21 Dec 2023
- Last updated
- 5 Sep 2024
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Tayar-Wachsberger I, Green G, Pinus M, Tepper S, Sherf-Dagan S. Examining the effect of an obesity suit role-playing exercise on empathy and weight bias in nutrition students. Nutrition. 2025 Oct;138:112813. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2025.112813. Epub 2025 Apr 19.
PubMed 40466592
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 5 Sep 2024. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Examining the Effect of Role-playing Exercise by Utilizing an Obesity Suit in a Simulation Scenario on Weight Bias and Empathy Levels Among Nutrition Sciences Students
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06192537
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- AU-HEA-SS-20231016-2
- Conditions
- Obesity, Bias, Weight
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 34 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Ariel UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Tel Hai College
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Aug 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Aug 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 5 Jan 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
A quasi-experimental design (i.e., "One-Group Pretest-Posttest Design") will be applied among 34 convenient samples of undergraduate students in their first year of nutrition sciences program at Ariel University and Tel-Hai College. The intervention will take place at the simulation centers of the institutions. All participants will be asked to wear an obesity simulation suit (Unisex obesity Simulation suit, Erler-Zimmer, Germany) and to participate in a standardized scenario that simulates meetings between a person with obesity and a 'registered dietitian'. The 'registered dietitian' will be presented by a professional role-player and the scenario will encompass different levels of weight bias. At baseline, 1- and 3-week post-intervention both groups will be asked to fill in a survey using "Qualtrics" software. The survey will include the Anti-Fat Attitudes questionnaire (AFA), the Short-Form of Fat-Phobia scale (F-scale), the Weight-Implicit Association-Test (weight-IAT), and the Jefferson Scale of Empathy. Data on demographics, weight history, and perception, measurement of actual weight and height, and the beliefs about the causes of obesity questionnaire will be collected at baseline.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Supportive care
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Behavioral: A role-playing exercise by utilizing an obesity suit in a simulation scenario |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- undergraduate students in their first year of the nutrition sciences program at Ariel University or Tel-Hai College
- age ≥18 years
- having fluency in Hebrew
- ability to wear an obesity suit
- willingness to participate in the study
Key exclusion criteria (0 listed)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| A role-playing exercise by utilizing an obesity suit in a simulation scenarioAll participants will be asked to wear an obesity simulation suit (Unisex obesity Simulation suit, Erler-Zimmer, Germany) and to participate in a standardized scenario that simulates meetings between a person with obesity and a 'registered dietitian'. The 'registered dietitian' will be presented by a professional role-player and the scenario will encompass different levels of weight bias through dialogue and the use of inappropriate equipment. | Behavioural | Intervention |
Primary outcome
Anti-Fat Attitudes questionnaire ('AFA')
Time frame: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention
The 'AFA' indicates explicit anti-fat attitudes toward people with obesity and is composed of 13-items rated on a 10-point Likert scale and divided into three subscales ('dislike', 'fear about fat' and 'willpower'), with higher total scores indicating stronger anti-fat attitudes.
The short-form of fat-phobia scale (' F-scale')
Time frame: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention
The 'F-scale' indicates fat-phobic attitudes toward people with obesity and is composed of 14-pairs of adjectives that are used to describe people with obesity (e.g., 'no willpower' vs. 'has willpower') and ranked on a 1-5 scale according to the point closest to the adjective name that describes their feelings and beliefs. Higher scores indicate stronger fat-phobic attitudes.
Weight Implicit Association Test ('IAT')
Time frame: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention
IAT tool is an indirect measure of implicit bias toward weight which uses the constructs of "fat people" versus "thin people" and the polarized attitudes of "good" and "bad" to detect implicit weight bias.
The Jefferson Scale of Empathy (S-version)
Time frame: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention
A 20-item scale that is designed to measure empathy in medical students.
6 secondary outcomes
Demographics
Time frame: At baseline
Weight perception
Time frame: At baseline
Weight history
Time frame: At baseline
Objective weight measurement
Time frame: At baseline
Objective height measurement
Time frame: At baseline
The beliefs about the causes of obesity questionnaire
Time frame: At baseline
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 5 Sep 2024.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 40466592Tayar-Wachsberger I, Green G, Pinus M, Tepper S, Sherf-Dagan S. Examining the effect of an obesity suit role-playing exercise on empathy and weight bias in nutrition students. Nutrition. 2025 Oct;138:112813. doi: 10.1016/j.nut.2025.112813. Epub 2025 Apr 19.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing A role-playing exercise by utilizing an obesity suit in a simulation scenario in people with Obesity and Bias, Weight, run by Ariel University at 1 site in Israel.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 0 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 5 Sep 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Israel. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Anti-Fat Attitudes questionnaire ('AFA') (time frame: Change from baseline at three- weeks post-intervention). The study lists 4 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06192537, which also lists 1 linked publication.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 5 Sep 2024; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 30 Oct 2026.