Mitigating and Preventing Disordered Eating in Transitioning Service Members

Not Applicable

Withdrawn

• Conditions: Healthy Eating; Diet, Food, and Nutrition; Eating Habit; Mindfulness
• Interventions: Behavioral: Pilot study

• Registration Number: NCT05074108
• Lead Sponsor: Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences

Brief Summary

Despite documented evidence of disordered eating (DE) among Active Duty (AD) Service Members (SM) and Veterans, DE has not been assessed in SM undergoing the transition from AD to Veterans status (AD-VS). The objective of the current study is to explore gender differences and associations between nutrition knowledge, DE attitudes and behaviors, mental health, and military-specific experiences in women and men undergoing the AD-VS transition, and then use this information along with qualitative feedback from focus groups to inform adaptations of an existing nutrition education program for pilot testing in AD-VS women and men.

Detailed Description

Despite documented evidence of disordered eating (DE) among Active Duty (AD) Service Members (SM) and Veterans, DE has not been assessed in SM undergoing the transition from AD to Veterans status (AD-VS). DE describes psychologically-driven, subclinical, maladaptive eating behaviors that do not meet diagnostic criteria for eating disorders (ED), which are serious psychiatric conditions that require intensive medical intervention and treatment. DE, while less clinically severe than ED, likely affects a much larger proportion of individuals and often goes unreported and/or underdiagnosed, thereby paving the way for chronic DE and development of deleterious outcomes. Mental health is intimately connected with eating behaviors and associations between DE/ED and other mental comorbidities have been described in AD and Veteran populations. By addressing DE during the AD-VS transition time, it may be possible to mitigate the long term clinical consequences that result from chronic DE. The AD-VS time frame is an especially opportune time to intervene with health-focused interventions given the evidence of weight gain and reductions in physical activity that occurs following separation from AD service. The contribution of DE behaviors to weight gain during and immediately following the AD-VS transition has not been explored and could be one factor to target in order to improve healthy lifestyle behaviors during this critical juncture. Interventions that provide SM with resources and strategies to prevent or minimize DE behaviors and improve mental health early in the AD-VS transition process may help to prevent adverse outcomes for Veterans. Based on the available evidence linking DE and mental health in Veterans, interventions that are able to address these issues holistically and prevent downstream clinical outcomes are worthy of investigation in AD-VS women and men. Thus, the objective of the current study is to explore gender differences and associations between nutrition knowledge, DE attitudes and behaviors, mental health, and military-specific experiences in women and men undergoing the AD-VS transition, and then use this information along with qualitative feedback from focus groups to inform adaptations of an existing nutrition education program for pilot testing in AD-VS women and men. Ultimately, this study is the first step in determining a strategy to attenuate the deleterious mental and physical health impacts of poor nutrition and DE in Veterans.

Study Timeline

• Status Verified: 2021-08
• Study First Submitted: 2021-08-09
• Study First Submitted QC: 2021-09-28
• Study First Posted: 2021-10-12
• Study Start: 2022-01
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-04-19
• Last Update Posted: 2024-04-23
• Primary Completion: 2024-06
• Study Completion: 2024-12

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: WITHDRAWN
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: Not specified

Inclusion Criteria

• Current Active Duty Service Member in the process of transitioning (e.g. separating or retiring) from the military assigned to Naval Support Activity Bethesda
• Age ≥17 years old
• Read and write English

Exclusion Criteria

• Self-reported current or recent (past 5 years) diagnosis of a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual- (DSM-5) eating disorder including: Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa, or Binge Eating Disorder AND/OR
• A score of ≥15 on the Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire Short (EDE-QS)

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: SINGLE_GROUP

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Pilot study	Pilot study	Adapt and pilot a nutrition-based intervention. The program will take a holistic approach to educate participants about basic nutrition and cooking skills, sleep, and mindfulness strategies to enhance mental health.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Nutrition knowledge	Pre and Post intervention, approximately 6 weeks apart	Scores on Abridged Nutrition for Sport Knowledge Questionnaire. Questionnaire is 35 questions long. Answers are scored as either correct or incorrect. Scores range from 0-35, higher scores are more desirable and indicate greater nutrition knowledge.
Eating attitudes / behaviors	Pre and Post intervention, approximately 6 weeks apart	Scores on Eating Disorder Examination-Questionnaire Short. The Eating Disorder Examination - Questionnaire Short (EDE-QS) was developed as a 12-item version of the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) with a 4-point response scale that assesses eating disorder (ED) symptoms over the preceding 7 days. Scores range from 0-36. Lower scores are more desirable.