Weight Loss After Participation in a National VA Weight Management Program Among Veterans With or Without PTSD

Objective: This evaluation compared the effectiveness of MOVE!, a U.S. Veterans Health Administration (VHA) weight management program, among veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), other mental conditions, or no mental health diagnoses. Methods: YHA administrative data from 2008 to 2012 were used to estimate adjusted six- and 12-month weight change and >= 5% weight loss among 20,819 veterans with "intense and sustained" MOVE! participation (14% of 148,963 MOVE! participants, regardless of mental health status). Results: Compared with veterans with no mental health diagnoses, veterans with PTSD lost significantly less weight at six and 12 months (p<.05) and were less likely to lose 5(70 body weight at six months (OR =.89, p<.05). At six months, those with other mental conditions lost significantly less weight than those with no mental health diagnoses (p<.05). Conclusions: MOVE! may need adaptation to increase overall engagement and enhance weight loss for veterans with mental conditions, especially PTSD.