# The Development and Implementation of a Peer-Led Diet and Exercise Intervention in Older Urban Dwelling Veterans with Dysmobility

> **NIH VA I21** · BALTIMORE VA MEDICAL CENTER · 2022 · —

## Abstract

Over the next ten years the share of Veterans age 65+ years will increase to over 50% of the total Veteran
population. The ability to safely maintain mobility with aging is critical. Older Veterans with multiple chronic
health conditions are more likely to experience mobility decline and our preliminary data show they also have
decreased diet quality when compared to older non-Veterans. They further report that their reduced physical
activity and poor dietary quality are related to a lack of access to exercise facilities, poor habits, and lack of
motivation or boredom. While a multitude of interventions have attempted to address poor diet and physical
inactivity in older adult; most have utilized resource-intensive professionally led diet OR exercise interventions,
and few have focused on the unique needs of older Veterans. Peer support offers a potentially low-cost, easily
scalable approach to encourage long-term dietary and physical activity change.
In this proposal we seek to develop and pilot a 12-week peer-led lifestyle intervention that targets older
Veterans with multiple chronic health conditions and dysmobility, in two diverse urban areas with a high
percentage of underrepresented minority Veteran populations (Baltimore, MD and San Antonio, TX). We will
accomplish this through two specific aims. Aim 1: Develop a theory-driven, peer-led nutrition and exercise
intervention tailored for older Veterans with dysmobility. Aim 2: Determine the feasibility and acceptability of
the peer-led intervention, to asses reach (recruitment, retention), adoption (satisfaction, perceived utility,
attendance, engagement) and implementation (fidelity of intervention); as well as the estimated magnitude and
potential impact on selected outcomes (i.e diet quality and mobility) in older 20 older Veterans with dysmobility
and multiple chronic health conditions (N=10/site). Our results from Aim 2 will be compared to Gerofit data to
determine long term potential of the project. With the successful development and pilot of this intervention we
will be positioned to submit a multisite Rehabilitation and Research and Development (RR&D) Merit application
focused on the use of peer-led interventions to improve long-term compliance to lifestyle intervention in older
Veterans with multiple chronic conditions.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10364800
- **Project number:** 1I21RX003739-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BALTIMORE VA MEDICAL CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Odessa Addison
- **Activity code:** I21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** VA
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** —
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-01-01 → 2023-12-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10364800

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10364800, The Development and Implementation of a Peer-Led Diet and Exercise Intervention in Older Urban Dwelling Veterans with Dysmobility (1I21RX003739-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10364800. Licensed CC0.

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