# Reducing Obesity Using Social Ties (ROBUST)

> **NIH NIH R01** · WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV · 2024 · $272,633

## Abstract

Black and Hispanic adults suffer disproportionately from obesity and obesity-related conditions (e.g.,
Hispanic/White ratio: diabetes (1.7) compared to their white counterparts. While behavioral weight loss (WL)
interventions are the first line in treating obesity, they have mixed outcomes. Most fail to make a persistent
impact, especially in specific racial/ethnic subgroups. For example, Black women lose 50% less weight than their
white counterparts, even when enrolled in fully powered, well-designed behavioral WL trials. One plausible
reason for these sub-optimal results is a focus on behavior change at the individual level alone while neglecting
critical social and environmental forces. Social networks have been increasingly shown to influence health
behaviors, yet they have seldom been harnessed in studies targeting weight loss, especially among racial/ethnic
minorities. In response to PAS-20-160 Small R01s for Clinical Trials Targeting Diseases within the Mission
of NIDDK, this application will compare the effects of a social-network enhanced lifestyle intervention (hereafter
termed "ROBUST" Reducing OBesity Using Social Ties) to an individual level lifestyle intervention (control) on
modifying multiple network-level barriers to weight loss. We will randomly enroll 132 Black or Hispanic adults
with obesity (BMI > 30 kg/m2) and invite up to two social network members of participants in the ROBUST arm
to a 24 –week multi-competent lifestyle intervention. We will evaluate whether the ROBUST intervention not
only addresses individual-level behaviors (i.e., healthy eating, increased physical activity) but also: 1) reduces
social undermining as well as changes perceived health norms by activating communal coping - a behavioral
process that involves thinking, communicating, and acting as if a health risk (i.e., Type 2 diabetes) is shared;
and 2) dampens the harmful effects of increased interpersonal conflict on weight by teaching participants how to
induce a positive affect and self-affirming mindset which we have shown in a previous trial (NHLBI-U01HL07843)
prevents unwanted weight gain. Participants in the control arm will receive the same number of lifestyle sessions
as those randomized to ROBUST. But, their social network will not be directly engaged in the study. We
hypothesize that the ROBUST intervention will satisfy all a priori feasibility/acceptability criteria for recruitment,
retention, and study conduct. Additionally, the ROBUST intervention will result in positive changes in multiple
barriers to behavior change, leading to a more significant proportion of participants experiencing improvements
in diet, physical activity, and weight loss at 24 weeks compared to the control group. If proven effective, the
preliminary data gathered from this small RO1 will support a fully powered RCT that will result in an optimized
multi-level obesity intervention that impacts critical clinical endpoints (i.e., BMI, insulin resistance, and
hemoglobin A1...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10848253
- **Project number:** 5R01DK135949-02
- **Recipient organization:** WEILL MEDICAL COLL OF CORNELL UNIV
- **Principal Investigator:** Erica Phillips
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $272,633
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-06-01 → 2026-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10848253

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10848253, Reducing Obesity Using Social Ties (ROBUST) (5R01DK135949-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10848253. Licensed CC0.

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