Table 2.

Six Key Question Areas for the Behavioral Interventions Work Group

EFFICACY	EFFECTIVENESS/IMPLEMENTATION
1. Optimal Treatment Dose: What is the evidence that the effectiveness of behavioral interventions varies by the number of visits and length of treatment (the “dose” of behavioral intervention)? What is the evidence that there is a threshold effect (i.e., minimum dose) or a plateau effect?	1. Desirable Implementation Components: What is the most effective strategy (climate, facilitation roles, etc.) for implementing a standardized behavioral weight management, based on the lessons from the most effective sites?
2. Desirable Behavioral Interventions: What components or modalities (ways of delivering) of behavioral interventions have proven effective and should be emphasized for behavioral weight management?	2. Barriers & Facilitators: What are the barriers and facilitators at the level of the patient, provider, facility, and health system to identification, referral, and sustained engagement of obese patients in behavioral weight management?
3. Stepped-Care: What is the definition of “failure” to lose weight via behavioral weight management that would make a Veteran eligible/appropriate for weight loss medications or weight loss surgery?	3. Reach: What is the effect of offering a less intensive (though still effective) intervention on reach and overall impact? How does reach (% of Veterans who utilize an intervention) vary by dose of intervention, e.g., minimal effective versus maximal effective dose?