Mental health diagnosis attenuates weight loss among older adults in a digital diabetes prevention program

Abstract

Objective Diabetes Prevention Programs (DPP) are effective at reducing diabetes incidence via clinically significant weight loss. Co‐morbid mental health condition(s) may reduce the effect of DPP administered in‐person and telephonically but this has not been assessed for digital DPP. This report examines the moderating effect of mental health diagnosis on weight change among individuals who enrolled in digital DPP (enrollees) at 12 and 24 months. Methods Secondary analysis of prospective, electronic health record data from a study of digital DPP among adults (N = 3904) aged 65–75 with prediabetes (HbA1c 5.7%–6.4%) and obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m2). Results Mental health diagnosis only moderated the effect of digital DPP on weight change during the first 7 months (p = 0.003) and the effect attenuated at 12 and 24 months. Results were unchanged after adjusting for psychotropic medication use. Among those without a mental health diagnosis, digital DPP enrollees lost more weight than non‐enrollees: −4.17 kg (95% CI, −5.22 to −3.13) at 12 months and −1.88 kg (95% CI, −3.00 to −0.76) at 24 months, whereas among individuals with a mental health diagnosis, there was no difference in weight loss between enrollees and non‐enrollees at 12 and 24 months (−1.25 kg [95% CI, −2.77 to 0.26] and 0.02 kg [95% CI, −1.69–1.73], respectively). Conclusions Digital DPP appears less effective for weight loss among individuals with a mental health condition, similar to prior findings for in‐person and telephonic modalities. Findings suggest a need for tailoring DPP to address mental health conditions.