EMBER: a self-help tool to boost Veterans' use of VA weight-management programs
Official title: The EMBER Trial for Weight Management Engagement
Funded at Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys · NIH-11457418 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A self-guided motivational tool to help Veterans learn about and join VA weight-management services.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Palo Alto, United States) |
| Project start | February 1, 2022 |
| Project end | September 30, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| NIH project number | 5I01HX003082-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11457418 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Veterans with obesity or overweight who receive care through the VA and have been offered but not yet engaged in VA weight-management programs are ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People already actively participating in a VA weight-management program or those who need medically supervised treatments or cannot use self-directed materials may not gain additional benefit.
What this research studies
I would use EMBER on paper or online to learn about my weight-management options and get guided, motivational prompts that help me decide what fits my situation. EMBER is built from motivational interviewing techniques but is designed for me to use on my own, not as a weight-loss program itself. The tool helps me weigh choices and encourages follow-up so I am more likely to enroll in VA programs like MOVE!. The goal is to make it easier for Veterans who were offered services to actually sign up and stick with them.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If it works, EMBER could help Veterans join and stay in effective VA weight programs, leading to weight loss and lower risks of diabetes and heart disease.
How similar studies have gone: Clinician-delivered motivational interviewing has improved treatment engagement in past studies, but self-directed, motivational interviewing tools like EMBER are newer and less widely tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
Palo Alto, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Breland, Jessica Yelena — Veterans Admin Palo Alto Health Care Sys
- Study coordinator: Breland, Jessica Yelena
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Weight management and center-based heart health program for Black adults with CKD
A multi-component lifestyle program is tested to help Black adults with chronic kidney disease lower blood pressure and improve heart and kidney health.
-
GLP-1 receptor agonists before pregnancy to improve weight and pregnancy outcomes
This project looks at whether using GLP-1 receptor agonists before pregnancy can help women with obesity lose weight and have better pregnancy outcomes.
-
Hybrid implementation approach to scale a weight‑management program for adults with serious mental illness
A Johns Hopkins team is testing how to spread and sustain a proven weight‑loss program for adults with serious mental illness in community mental health settings.
-
Couples-based weight loss with a mobile app
A couple-focused weight loss program delivered through a mobile app that helps partners support each other to lose weight together.
-
Addressing appetitive traits to promote weight management in children who overeat
A family-based program is being tested to help children who overeat improve weight management by reducing food cues and increasing fullness signals.
-
Teaching doctors how to talk with patients about weight and related health
This project teaches medical residents to use short, spaced lessons and video practice over a year to improve how they talk with adult patients about weight, healthy habits, and conditions like type 2 diabetes.
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.