Saint Helier

Researchers are studying the effects of weight loss in people who have heart failure with reduced ejection fraction HFpEF and are overweight or obese. The study aims to find out if losing weight improves the hearts shape and pumping ability, as well as the participants quality of life and exercise capacity. This research is led by the University of Oxford and involves a randomized controlled design with a single-blind approach. Participants are randomly assigned to one of two groups a diet group or a control group. The diet group follows a structured weight loss program using meal replacement products like formula soups, shakes, and porridges to create a low-calorie diet for 8 weeks. This is followed by a guided phase to gradually reintroduce regular foods and maintain weight loss. The control group continues their standard clinical care without any specific dietary intervention. Participants will attend two study visits spaced 3 to 6 months apart. At each visit, they undergo various assessments including symptom and quality of life questionnaires, body measurements, blood tests, heart ultrasounds echocardiograms, heart MRI scans, and a six-minute walk test. The main outcome measured is the change in left ventricular ejection fraction from baseline to 3-6 months. Other outcomes include changes in body weight, walking distance, heart failure symptom scores, and blood markers. This allows researchers to monitor the effects of weight loss on heart function and overall health over time.