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Feasibility of Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment Enhanced with Peer Support and Mobile Health Technology for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness

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Abstract

Effective and scalable lifestyle interventions are needed to address high rates of obesity in people with serious mental illness (SMI). This pilot study evaluated the feasibility of a behavioral weight loss intervention enhanced with peer support and mobile health (mHealth) technology for obese individuals with SMI. The Diabetes Prevention Program Group Lifestyle Balance intervention enhanced with peer support and mHealth technology was implemented in a community mental health setting. Thirteen obese individuals with SMI participated in a pre-post pilot study of the 24-week intervention. Feasibility was assessed by program attendance, and participant satisfaction and suggestions for improving the model. Descriptive changes in weight and fitness were also explored. Overall attendance amounted to approximately half (56 %) of weekly sessions. At 6-month follow-up, 45 % of participants had lost weight, and 45 % showed improved fitness by increasing their walking distance. Participants suggested a number of modifications to increase the relevance of the intervention for people with SMI, including less didactic instruction and more active learning, a simplified dietary component, more in depth technology training, and greater attention to mental health. The principles of standard behavioral weight loss treatment provide a useful starting point for promoting weight loss in people with SMI. However, adaptions to standard weight loss curricula are needed to enhance engagement, participation, and outcomes to respond to the unique challenges of individuals with SMI.

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Acknowledgments

The authors wish to think Stacey Zawacki, DrPH, RDN, for expert consultation on the nutrition component of this project.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Health Promotion Research Center at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA

    Kelly A. Aschbrenner, John A. Naslund, Megan Shevenell & Stephen J. Bartels

  2. The Dartmouth Institute for Health Policy and Clinical Practice, Dartmouth College, Lebanon, NH, USA

    Kelly A. Aschbrenner, John A. Naslund & Stephen J. Bartels

  3. Department of Psychiatry, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA

    Kelly A. Aschbrenner & Stephen J. Bartels

  4. Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Boston University, Boston, USA

    Kim T. Mueser

  5. Department of Community and Family Medicine, Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, Lebanon, NH, USA

    Megan Shevenell & Stephen J. Bartels

  6. 46 Centerra Parkway, Lebanon, NH, 03766, USA

    Kelly A. Aschbrenner

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  1. Kelly A. Aschbrenner
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  2. John A. Naslund
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  3. Megan Shevenell
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Correspondence to Kelly A. Aschbrenner.

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Conflict of Interest

The authors report no conflict of interest as it relates to the subject of this manuscript.

Funding

This study was supported by an AHRQ funded K12 Career Development Fellowship for Patient-Centered Outcomes Research awarded to the first author (K12 HS021695-01, PI: Bartels). Additional support was received from the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Research Center (Cooperative Agreement Number U48DP005018). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

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Aschbrenner, K.A., Naslund, J.A., Shevenell, M. et al. Feasibility of Behavioral Weight Loss Treatment Enhanced with Peer Support and Mobile Health Technology for Individuals with Serious Mental Illness. Psychiatr Q 87, 401–415 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-015-9395-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11126-015-9395-x

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