Studies show that losing as little as 5% of body weight can yield significant health benefits, including reducing obesity-associated conditions such as cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and even certain cancers, among those with excess weight. While lifestyle interventions are shown to help people lose weight and improve overall health, access to weight management programs is often limited in rural areas.
Can online behavioral weight management programs be improved by simply adding a human touch? The iREACH Rural program hopes to answer that question by examining how high-touch support elements in digital interventions can be optimized for delivering weight loss programs to rural patients.
Researchers in UAB’s Department of Family and Community Medicine are partnering with the University of South Carolina and the University of Virginia School of Medicine through the HEART-NET Primary Care research network to help bring this free program to people across Alabama, where more than 39% of the adult population is considered obese.
“Our communities experience some of the country’s worst health outcomes, and issues like chronic disease and poor lifestyle behaviors are more prevalent in rural areas. Of course, limited resources and provider shortages in many rural primary care clinics exacerbate these problems and create a challenging environment for implementing research efforts,” explained UAB Associate Dean of Primary Care and Rural Health and Chair of Family and Community Medicine Irfan Asif, M.D. “I am excited for the opportunity to work alongside colleagues across the South to strengthen our primary care clinical research infrastructure and leverage technology to offer patients better access to care regardless of location.”
UAB is working with primary care clinics in Centreville, Gardendale, Leeds, and Selma to provide eligible patients interested in weight loss the opportunity to participate in this study. These clinics, situated in rural Alabama or serving a significant number of patients from rural areas, represent an excellent opportunity to connect with those eligible for iREACH Rural who might benefit from a remote wellness and weight control program.
Participants will be enrolled in a core online, 24-week weight loss program and randomly assigned to receive additional support through weekly video chat sessions, personalized feedback, or individual coaching calls. Throughout the program, participants are guided through modules on topics like goal setting, healthier eating, and increased physical activity, and learn strategies for sustaining a lifestyle change.
More than 130 million Americans are overweight or obese, and those living in increasingly resource-strapped rural areas with limited access to care experience significantly higher rates of both obesity and chronic illnesses associated with obesity. So, finding better ways to help rural residents manage their weight could have big benefits for both individuals and society.
Over the next year, the iREACH Rural program hopes to enroll more 100 volunteer participants across Alabama, with the goal of determining which approach, or which combination of approaches, is most effective at promoting weight loss and subsequent weight maintenance. They will look at factors that contribute to weight loss success, such as social support, accountability, and problem solving.
The HEART-NET Primary Care network unites research teams from UAB, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Their goal is to enhance primary care research infrastructure, involve local communities in research design, and improve access to research that supports population health and chronic disease management, ultimately promoting better health for everyone.
To learn more about the iREACH Rural program, visit ireachstudy.org/heart-net.