Characteristics influencing weight reduction among veterans in the MOVE!® Program

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Services Research
• Veterans Health

Background:

• Obesity is a prevalent health issue among the veteran population.
• Effective weight management strategies are crucial for improving veteran health outcomes.
• The MOVE!® program is a key initiative for addressing obesity in veterans.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify background and program characteristics associated with achieving a 5% weight reduction in veterans enrolled in the MOVE!® program.
• To analyze predictors of successful weight loss within a veteran population undergoing a structured weight management program.

Main Methods:

• Logistic regression analysis was performed on data from 404 veteran participants.
• Key variables examined included socio-demographics, comorbidities, body mass index, rurality, VA priority group, program type (group vs. self-managed), and provider contact frequency/type.
• The primary outcome was achieving at least a 5% reduction in body weight.

Main Results:

• Thirteen percent of participants successfully achieved a 5% weight reduction.
• Older age (Odds Ratio [OR] = 1.04) and a higher number of group visits (OR = 1.05) were statistically significant predictors of achieving a 5% weight reduction.
• Other examined factors did not show significant association with weight loss in this cohort.

Conclusions:

• Age and engagement in group-based sessions are important factors for successful weight management in veterans utilizing the MOVE!® program.
• Healthcare providers should consider these predictors when designing and implementing weight reduction interventions for veterans.
• Further research can explore optimizing group session characteristics to enhance veteran weight loss outcomes.