Grant Abstract: Mobile Health Obesity Wellness Intervention in Rural Older Adults_Res1

Grant Number: 3K23AG051681-02S1
PI Name: Batsis
Project Title: Mobile Health Obesity Wellness Intervention in Rural Older Adults_Res1

Abstract: Our long-term goal is to identify effective, accessible, and sustainable means for improving long-term, lasting weight loss using scalable health-promoting devices aimed at modifying health behaviors with nonpharmacological means in rural, older obese adults. As part of Aim 2 of this parent K23 award, MOWI will be developed and refined to improve physical function and self-reported health in older obese adults. We propose to augment our existing MOWI program by adding a second intervention arm (MOWI-P) that receives high dose whey protein supplementation. The rationale is to determine to what extent whey supplementation of 16 older, obese adults on MOWI potentially improves physical function, muscle strength, and self-reported health. We will also establish whether changes in biomarkers are observed between MOWI and MOWI-P. This supplement will provide the resources to conduct an additional intervention study of high-dose whey protein to the parent MOWI in rural settings. Our working hypothesis is that MOWI-P will limit the impact of weight-loss induced sarcopenia. The specific aims of this proposed administrative supplement are as follows:

Aim 1: Evaluate the feasibility, acceptability and adherence of a whey-protein augmented mobile health (mHealth) obesity wellness intervention (MOWI-P) in rural, older, obese adults. H1: MOWI-P is feasible (>75% of subjects will enroll; >75% of enrollees will complete the 3-month pilot) and acceptable in rural adults seeking obesity treatment (using interviews), and that subjects will adhere to the supplement (>75% intake).

Aim 2: Ascertain the impact of MOWI-P as compared to MOWI, on body composition, nutritional and obesity markers in rural, older obese adults. H2: Adding a high-dose whey-protein supplement into a nutrition, exercise and mHealth pilot program (MOWI-P) will lead to greater improvements in anthropometric, energy, hormonal, inflammatory, and bone-turnover parameters compared to MOWI alone.

Aim 3: Assess the potential effectiveness of MOWI-P as compared to MOWI to improve physical function, muscle strength, and self-reported health. H3: Integrating high-dose whey protein into a nutrition, exercise and mHealth program of 16 individuals conducted in a research setting will improve physical function, muscle strength, and self-reported health, and will provide reliable estimates for designing an evaluative trial.


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