Making an online weight loss program better for people in poverty who get care at their regular doctor's office
Official title: Adapting Online Obesity Treatment for Primary Care Patients in Poverty
Funded at Miriam Hospital · NIH-11099900 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project aims to make an existing online weight loss program more helpful and accessible for adults living in poverty who receive care at their primary doctor's office.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Miriam Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Providence, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $188,244 |
| NIH project number | 5K23DK136978-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11099900 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adults aged 21 and older who live in poverty, have obesity, and receive their healthcare through a primary care provider.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have obesity, are not in poverty, or do not use primary care services may not directly benefit from this specific adaptation.
What this research studies
Many people living in poverty face health challenges like obesity and diabetes, which can be made worse by their living situations. While there are effective weight loss programs, they often don't reach people with lower incomes. This project focuses on an online weight loss program called Rx Weight Loss, which has not been widely used by patients with low income, even though it can be delivered affordably through primary care. Researchers want to understand why this program isn't reaching these patients and then make changes to it so it better fits their needs and circumstances. The goal is to adapt the program to be more relevant and useful for adults in poverty, helping them manage their weight and improve their overall health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to a more effective and accessible online weight loss program for adults in poverty, potentially improving their health and reducing the risk of conditions like diabetes.
How similar studies have gone: While the original online program has shown effectiveness, this specific adaptation for patients in poverty is a novel approach to increase its adoption and adherence in this underserved population.
Where this research is happening
-
Miriam Hospital
Providence, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Chou, Po-Hun — Miriam Hospital
- Study coordinator: Chou, Po-Hun
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
GrowSmart: A kid-friendly AI tool to help primary care teams prevent obesity
A pediatric primary care tool using artificial intelligence helps identify kids at risk for obesity and supports doctors and families in choosing healthy lifestyle steps.
-
Weight Navigation Program to Help People with Obesity in Primary Care
A new program in primary care helps adults with obesity get access to effective weight-loss options and stay on track using teamwork and remote weight monitoring.
-
Virtual Housecalls for Adolescent Obesity in Pediatric Primary Care
A pediatric obesity program is being redesigned to use video visits and family-based support to provide 26 hours of care over 3–12 months for teens at risk of type 2 diabetes.
-
Futuros Fuertes 2.0 — Healthy start for low-income Latino infants and toddlers
This program offers culturally tailored support in primary care plus text messages to help low-income Latino families encourage healthy feeding and activity habits for infants and toddlers.
-
Strong Futures 2.0: A clinic-based plan to prevent obesity in low-income Latino kids from infancy
A clinic-based program helps low-income Latino families prevent obesity in their young children, starting in infancy.
-
Remote health coaching to help weight and heart/metabolic health in Black adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes
Remote health coaching delivered through your clinic's patient portal aims to help Black adults with obesity and type 2 diabetes lose weight and improve heart and metabolic health.
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.