Cognitive behavioral therapy for managing obesity in patients with chronic kidney disease: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

Obesity is one of the main risk factors for progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Weight loss interventions have limited efficacy in patients with pre-dialysis CKD. Our objective is to test the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral therapy program for obesity management in patients with CKD. We will conduct a randomized controlled intervention trial to evaluate the effects of cognitive behavioral therapy for obesity on weight loss, change in proteinuria, weight maintenance, quality of life, depression symptoms, and anxiety symptoms in patients with CKD. The duration of the intervention will be 16 weeks. The primary study outcomes will be body mass index (BMI) and proteinuria. CKD patients will be randomized into two groups: an intervention group with cognitive behavioral therapy, sessions with a dietitian and a kinesiologist, and a control group with sessions with a dietitian and a kinesiologist, without cognitive behavioral therapy. Study outcomes will be assessed at baseline, immediately after the 16-week intervention, 3 months after the end of the intervention, and 12 months after the end of the intervention. This study will be the first to evaluate the efficacy of cognitive behavioral therapy for obesity in patients with CKD. We expect that our results will contribute to new ways of non-pharmacological treatment of CKD. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.Gov, NCT05927337.