Protocol for HealthyTogether: A randomized controlled trial testing a virtual, dyadic weight management intervention for a veteran and a support person.

BACKGROUND

More than 40% of Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) patients have a body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2 but only a fraction of eligible Veterans lose clinically meaningful weight in VA's national MOVE! Weight Management Program. Incorporating partners into weight management and developing a team approach to behavior change is a promising strategy to improve outcomes, but few such interventions have been adequately tested. We are testing HealthyTogether - a virtual, dyadic weight management program combining MOVE! weight management content and skills from interpersonal therapies - to determine whether HealthyTogether improves weight loss over usual care.

METHODS

Dyads (N = 160) including (1) a Veteran with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and (2) a partner of their choice (e.g., spouse, family member, friend) are randomized 1:1 to usual care (control) or usual care plus HealthyTogether (intervention). HealthyTogether dyads receive eight synchronous video visits with a psychologist, social worker, or trainee over 14 weeks covering evidence-based behavioral weight management strategies and communication skills training and practice. The primary outcome is study-measured Veteran weight change in pounds at 6 months, with secondary outcomes of electronic health record-derived 6- and 12-month changes in Veteran weight, and 6-month changes in diet quality, physical activity, and relationship quality among Veterans and partners.

DISCUSSION: This trial tests whether a brief, remote, dyadic weight management program can promote weight loss among Veterans. If effective, the HealthyTogether program could be implemented within and outside VA to improve health behaviors and weight loss outcomes among the growing number of individuals with elevated BMIs.

CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov (NCT06619041).