MOVE!+UP: Testing a Tailored Weight Management Program for Veterans With PTSD

Completed · Not applicable

Conditions studied: PTSD, Overweight, Obesity

In brief

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is common among Veterans and results in poor psychological functioning, quality of life, and physical health. This includes having disproportionately high rates of obesity, in part due to PTSD symptoms interfering with physical activity and healthy diet. Unfortunately, Veterans with PTSD have poorer weight loss outcomes than those without PTSD in VA's existing weight management program, MOVE!. Based on pilot work, it appears that a weight management program that augments standard PTSD care and targets PTSD-related barriers to weight loss improves weight and PTSD symptoms. Whether it improves these issues more than standard VA care is in need of study, which is the focus of the proposed research. The proposed study also seeks to understand factors that would interfere with and facilitate implementing the program in VA if it is effective. This Veteran-centered, tailored weight loss program may efficiently benefit both physical and mental health of Veterans with PTSD, addressing standard care limitations.

Key facts

Study ID

NCT04563741

Run by

VA Office of Research and Development

People needed

174

Starts

2020-10-01

Expected to finish

2025-03-26

Last updated by the study team

2026-05-06

Who can join

Age: 18 and older. Sex: any. Healthy volunteers: not accepted.

You may qualify if…

• PTSD Diagnosis: standard criteria for PTSD Checklist for DSM-5 (PCL-5): lifetime experience of trauma and a score of 33
• Overweight or obesity based on Body Mass Index (BMI) of 25 kg/m2
• Primary Care Provider or other physician approval
• Willing to participate in all intervention or control and assessment activities
• Enrolled in PTSD treatment
• Must have active VA Puget Sound Health Care System medical record.

You may not qualify if…

• Not fluent in English, severe hearing loss, no phone access
• Current MOVE! participation
• Current pregnancy
• Based on clinical judgment, would be unable to participate because of:
• acutely exacerbated substance use, mental health, or chronic medical conditions
• or moderate to severe chronic, progressive neurologic conditions such as Dementia
• had bariatric surgery within the last 12 months or plan to undergo bariatric surgery within the next 6 months.
• Report they cannot safely weigh themselves using the mailed study scale due to mobility issues or use of assistive devices
• Baseline weight >440 lbs

Where it is running

• VA Puget Sound Health Care System Seattle Division, Seattle, WA — Seattle, Washington, United States

Full record on ClinicalTrials.gov

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