Characteristics of Active Duty Service Members Referred to the Navy's Weight-Management Program

Area of Science:

• Military health
• Obesity research
• Behavioral science

Background:

• Rising rates of overweight and obesity in the U.S. Navy necessitate effective weight-management strategies.
• Existing programs like ShipShape show mixed results, highlighting the need to understand participant characteristics.
• Identifying factors influencing participation and outcomes can improve program design and effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the characteristics of U.S. Navy service members (SMs) referred to the ShipShape weight-management program.
• To compare participants and non-participants in a ShipShape randomized clinical trial.
• To compare ShipShape participants with a general Navy sample from the DoD Health-Related Behaviors Survey (HRBS).

Main Methods:

• Evaluation of data from 225 active duty Navy SMs referred to ShipShape.
• Comparison of 187 SMs enrolled in the ShipShape study with 38 non-enrolled SMs.
• Analysis of 147 ShipShape completers against 164 HRBS respondents using ANOVA and chi-square tests.

Main Results:

• ShipShape participants were more likely to be female, younger, non-Hispanic, and obese compared to HRBS respondents.
• Participants showed higher motivation and emotional eating scores but fewer medical conditions.
• ShipShape participants reported higher rates of probable depression, anxiety, and PTSD, and were more likely to receive mental health treatment.

Conclusions:

• Navy weight-management program participants exhibit distinct demographic and psychological profiles, including higher rates of mental health conditions.
• Comorbid mental health issues may impede weight loss efforts, suggesting a need for integrated care.
• Future Navy weight-management programs should consider incorporating mental health services to improve outcomes for diverse service members.