Using MOVE! With Seriously Mentally Ill Veterans

This study involves a controlled trial of an optimized version of a weight management and physical activity psycho-educational intervention (called MOVE!) for overweight and obese Veterans with serious mental illness. The study hypothesizes that MOVE! will result in weight loss and improved indicators of cardiovascular risk when compared to usual care. Medical outcomes are proportion achieving 4% or higher weight loss, mean weight loss, and reductions in cardiovascular risk (blood pressure, glucose and serum lipids). Psychosocial outcomes are general health, psychiatric functioning, quality of life, and self-esteem and medication adherence. Mediators include physical activity, dietary management, self-efficacy, and motivation/readiness to change. The intervention involves a well specified combination of individualized and group based services and draws on evidence based techniques and materials that are currently well packaged in an existing VA program called MOVE! The Comparison condition is operationalized as usual treatment plus monthly weight measurements and distribution of educational brochures regarding diet and exercise.