Examining Innovative Obesity Treatment and Related Novel Constructs

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application is for a Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development Award (K23). The candidate, Rachel D. Barnes, Ph.D., has a programmatic interest in innovative treatments for overweight and obesity within multidisciplinary teams and furthering understanding of novel weight-related variables. Dr. Barnes plans, as a junior faculty member at Yale University School of Medicine (YSM), to acquire the necessary skills to successfully obtain extramural funding and become an independent clinical researcher in the area of obesity. The training and research plan comprises the expert mentorship and collaboration of Carlos M. Grilo, Ph.D., Professor of Psychiatry at YSM, Professor of Psychology at Yale University, and Director of the Program for Obesity, Weight, and Eating Research, and Deborah Tate, Ph.D., Associate Professor with joint appointments in the Gillings School of Public Health in the Departments of Health Behavior and Health Education, and the Department of Nutrition at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill. These mentors, along with internationally recognized contributors from YSM, will assist Dr. Barnes in achieving and maximizing the training and research plans. Dr. Barnes plans to devote a minimum of 75% of her time to obtaining further knowledge and expertise in behavioral and psychological factors associated with obesity and in intervening with overweight and obesity. Her specific training development goals proposed for the K23 are to: 1) Acquire greater expertise with assessing and intervening with obesity in different settings; 2) Design and conduct a randomized clinical trial; and 3) Obtain training and perform research in psychological approaches relevant to improving clinical methods for intervening for obesity. The research plan for this application is comprised of three interrelated studies designed to: 1) Validate the Food Thought Suppression Inventory (FTSI) within an overweight and obese treatment seeking sample; 2) Examine the FTSI within a randomized controlled trial (RCT) for binge eating disorder; and 3) Conduct an innovative RCT treating obesity within primary care using an easily accessible and financially feasible internet treatment enhanced with motivational interviewing. Collectively, these studies will increase Dr. Barnes's knowledge of ethics and complexities of conducting clinical trials, including statistical sophistication and methodologies, and will inform the development of R01 applications. The proposed research has the potential to improve our understanding of a systems based, broad approach to treating obesity and novel weight-related constructs. The K23 will support Dr. Barnes's transition to an independent clinical-researcher in the field of obesity.