Supportive Weight Management for Obesity

Overseen By Corrine I. Voils, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: VA Office of Research and Development

Must not be taking: Weight loss medications

Disqualifiers: Dementia, Substance abuse, Bariatric surgery, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 24

Duration: 72 weeks

300 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This study involves an evaluation of whether social support from a cohabitating adult improves Veteran weight loss in a weight management program.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you cannot participate if you are currently using weight loss medications.

Is the supportive weight management treatment safe for humans?

The research does not provide specific safety data for the supportive weight management treatment, but dyadic interventions, which involve two people working together, are generally used to promote healthy behaviors like physical activity and weight loss, suggesting they are safe for human use. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

How does the Dyadic intervention treatment for obesity differ from other treatments?

The Dyadic intervention treatment for obesity is unique because it involves a support person who is trained to help the patient maintain motivation and skills for weight control, which can lead to sustained weight loss. This approach emphasizes social support, making it different from traditional weight management programs that often focus solely on the individual. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Dyadic intervention, Veteran-only intervention for obesity?

Research suggests that involving partners in weight loss efforts, as seen in dyadic interventions, can improve outcomes by creating a supportive environment that encourages behavior change. Studies have shown that when couples work together on weight management, they are more likely to succeed due to shared motivation and support. ^{1 3 11 12 13}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Corrine I. Voils, PhD

Principal Investigator

William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans Hospital, Madison, WI

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for Veterans with obesity who are at least 18 years old, have a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher, and have seen a VA primary care provider in the past year. They must live with an adult willing to support their weight loss journey, be able to stand unassisted for weigh-ins, and not be involved in other lifestyle change programs. Pregnant individuals or those planning pregnancy soon are excluded.

Inclusion Criteria

My partner is willing to join, speaks English, and passed a short memory test.

Exclusion Criteria

Patient exclusion criteria: active dementia or substance abuse, history of bariatric surgery, current participation in a research or clinical program focusing on lifestyle change, pregnancy, breastfeeding, or planning to become pregnant in the next 18 months, weight loss 10 lb in the month prior to screening, residing in a nursing home or receiving long-term home health care, unable to control what food is purchased and / or served, impaired hearing, current use of weight loss medications, chronic or unstable illness that would limit ability to participate (e.g., recent hospitalization)

My partner does not have dementia, substance abuse issues, live in a nursing home, have hearing problems, or any unstable illness.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants engage in a weight management program, either alone or with a support person, delivered via a secure video platform

72 weeks

Remote assessments at baseline, weeks 24, 48, and 72

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for weight and quality of life outcomes after the treatment phase

4 weeks

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Dyadic intervention
• Veteran-only intervention

Trial Overview The study is testing if having social support from someone they live with helps Veterans lose more weight in a management program compared to going it alone. It compares two approaches: one where the Veteran works together with their cohabitant (dyadic intervention) and another where only the Veteran participates (Veteran-only intervention).

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Dyadic intervention Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Veterans and their support person will participate in MOVE!

Group II: Veteran-only intervention Active Control 1 Intervention

Veterans will participate in MOVE! alone

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

VA Office of Research and Development

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,691

Recruited

3,759,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

A survey of 450 former participants in a community-based weight management program revealed that early discussions about weight loss perceptions are crucial for successful weight loss maintenance (WLM).

To maintain weight loss after a program, individuals should focus on specific behaviors like weekly weighing, limiting evening snacks, controlling portion sizes, and engaging in daily physical activity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Predictors of weight loss maintenance following an insurance-sponsored weight management program. Abildso, CG., Schmid, O., Byrd, M., et al.[2021]

Citations

1. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Project TEAMS (Talking about Eating, Activity, and Mutual Support): a randomized controlled trial of a theory-based weight loss program for couples. [2022]

2. Ireland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Patient-practitioner relationships desired by overweight/obese adults. [2019]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dyad and group-based interventions in physical activity, diet, and weight loss: a systematic review of the evidence. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: Interventions for the Treatment of Overweight and Obesity in Adults. [2022]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Protocol for Partner2Lose: A randomized controlled trial to evaluate partner involvement on long-term weight loss. [2021]

6. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Prerandomization withdrawals from a Type 2 diabetes self-care support intervention trial are associated with lack of available support person coparticipant. [2023]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Dyadic interventions to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviour: systematic review and meta-analysis. [2020]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Predictors of weight loss maintenance following an insurance-sponsored weight management program. [2021]

9. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Evidence-Based Strategies to Enhance Weight Management Programs for Adult Military Beneficiaries: A Narrative Review. [2023]

10. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

State of the art conference on weight management in VA: Policy and research recommendations for advancing behavioral interventions. [2019]

11. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effectiveness of including support people in a cognitive behavioural weight loss maintenance programme for obese adults: study rationale and design. [2018]

12. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Women Veterans Experience with the VA MOVE! Weight Management Program. [2021]

13. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The development and validation of the weight management support inventory. [2006]