VA Research Wrap Up: New findings on binge eating, prosthetic services and inflammatory bowel disease

This week, VA’s Office of Research and Development published three News Briefs highlighting research findings on a binge eating, prosthetic services and inflammatory bowel disease.

New treatment can reduce binge eating

San Diego VA researchers teamed up with two universities to demonstrate how a new treatment called regulation of cues (ROC) reduced binge eating by 20% more than from cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

During the five months of treatment, Veterans receiving ROC also had 70% greater weight loss compared to those receiving CBT, although at a six-month follow-up both treatments resulted in the same amount of weight loss. The clinical trial included 129 Veterans with binge eating disorder randomly assigned to ROC or CBT. The ROC treatment included education on understanding cues related to feeling hungry or full, self-monitoring and coping skills. The CBT treatment targeted changes in behavior and cognition, focusing on understanding underlying factors related to eating. The findings suggest ROC could provide clinicians with another tool to treat binge eating and obesity, especially in patients who do not respond to CBT. View the full study from “JAMA Network Open.”

Rural Veterans give Mobile labs high satisfaction scores

Researchers from the VA Collaborative Evaluation Center showed the VHA Mobile Prosthetic and Orthotic Care (MoPOC) program is successfully bringing access to prosthetic care to rural Veterans.

VA currently operates 18 MoPOC vans across the country, serving as mobile labs/workshops staffed with certified prosthetists and orthotists. The researchers surveyed 600 rural Veterans and conducted 35 in-depth interviews. Nearly all Veterans (99%) were mostly or always satisfied with treatment by staff, 94% were satisfied with having their needs met in one place, 94% were satisfied with the ease of traveling to meet the MoPOC, and 98% said they were satisfied with the overall service. One out of five Veterans said they would not have received prosthetic or orthotic care at all without the mobile centers. The one concern raised in the survey was the timeliness of device delivery. The study highlights how this program can improve the quality of life for rural Veterans who may otherwise have difficulty accessing prosthetic care. View the full study from “The Journal of Rural Health.”

Vitamin D may help inflammatory bowel disease

VA researchers with South Central Mental Illness Research, Education and Clinical Center and Center for Innovations in Quality, Effectiveness, and Safety found vitamin D supplements for patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) reduced emergency department visits by 34%, hospitalizations by 54%, and corticosteroid prescriptions by 25%.

IBD is a group of conditions that cause swelling and inflammation of the digestive tract; two of the most common are Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. The researchers analyzed the electronic health records of more than 5,000 Veterans with IBD from 2000 to 2023, 41% of whom had supplement prescriptions for vitamin D deficiency, a common condition in people with IBD. The findings indicate supplemental vitamin D could be a low-cost aid in IBD treatment. View the full study from “Clinical Gastroenterology and Hepatology.”

For more Office of Research and Development updates, visit ORD online or go to https://www.research.va.gov/news_briefs/.