An Internet-based Behavioral Weight Loss Program for HIV+ Patients
An Internet-based Behavioral Weight Loss Program for HIV+ Patients
The goal of this project is to determine whether an Internet-based weight loss program will
 lead to weight loss and improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors in people living
 with HIV.
The goal of this project is to provide an empirically validated weight loss program to HIV+
 patients and evaluate its efficacy for weight loss and improvements in cardiovascular disease
 risk factors. Investigators will conduct a randomized pilot study with 50 overweight or obese
 patients who are HIV+, are recruited from the Miriam Hospital Immunology Center, and are
 interested in losing weight. These patients will be randomly assigned to a 12 week behavioral
 weight loss program delivered via the Internet or to a 12 week education only control group
 (also Internet based). Primary aims of this study are 1) to determine whether an Internet
 program is appropriate for this patient population, assessed by the success of recruiting 50
 patients for the trial and their level of adherence over the 12 weeks, 2) to compare weight
 losses at the end of the 12 week program for program for patients randomized to the Internet
 behavioral weight reduction program (WT LOSS) relative to the Internet education program
 (CONTROL), 3) to compare the efficacy of the WT LOSS program relative to CONTROL for
 improving lipids (total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglycerides), metabolic measures (fasting
 blood sugar, insulin), and inflammatory markers (IL-6, C-reactive protein, adiponectin), and
 4) to compare the changes in dietary intake and physical activity from baseline to 12 weeks
 in the WT LOSS and CONTROL conditions. Investigators will also store blood for later analysis
 of other adipokines (leptin) and biomarkers of microbial gut translocation (e.g., sCD14).
 These will provide important pilot data for future NIH funding related to both the
 implementation of weight loss programs and the effect of weight loss on the co-morbidities in
 this population.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Recruited from the Miriam Hospital Immunology Center

 -  HIV+ with a CD4 count >200 and an undetectable viral load

 -  BMI greater than 27 kg/m2

 -  No health problems that make weight loss or unsupervised exercise unsafe

 -  English speaking

 -  Have access to a computer and the Internet

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Report a heart condition, chest pain during periods of activity or rest, or loss of
 consciousness on the Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire

 -  Active substance abuser

 -  Currently pregnant or intend to become pregnant in the next 6 months

 -  Planning to move outside of the state within the next 6 months

 -  Have participated in a study conducted by the Weight Control & Diabetes Research
 Center in the past 2 years