Telehealth weight-loss program for adults 65+ with multiple chronic conditions
Optimizing Telehealth-delivery of a Weight Loss Intervention in Older Adults with Multiple Chronic Conditions: A Sequential, Multiple Assignment, Randomized Trial
This project compares two remote weight-loss programs to find better ways for adults 65 and older with obesity and at least two chronic conditions to lose weight.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11308683 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a 52-week program delivered largely by telehealth that compares a medically tailored, prescriptive weight-loss plan to a behavior-focused health coaching approach. A total of 180 people age 65+ with obesity and two or more chronic conditions will be enrolled. At 8 weeks, people who lose less than 2.5% of their weight are re-randomized to either get more of the same sessions or switch/intensify their care so the plan can be personalized. The goal is to identify which sequence of remote interventions works best for older adults who vary in how they respond to initial treatment.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 65 or older with obesity and at least two chronic health conditions (for example diabetes, hypertension, or arthritis) who can participate in telehealth visits.
Not a fit: People under 65, those without obesity or fewer than two chronic conditions, or those unable to use telehealth or with medical reasons that contraindicate weight loss may not benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could show practical telehealth strategies to help older adults with multiple conditions lose more weight and preserve function.
How similar studies have performed: Behavioral and medically supervised weight-loss programs have helped some older adults, but using a SMART design to tailor telehealth sequences for non-responders is a newer, less-tested approach.
Where this research is happening
Chapel Hill, United States
- Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill — Chapel Hill, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Batsis, John a. — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Batsis, John a.
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 below.