How the CTSI Helped Me Help You: Larissa McGarrity

The Utah CTSI had the privilege of talking to Larissa McGarrity, a K12 Institutional Career Development Program scholar. We thank her for taking the time to answer our questions about her research covering psychological health's role with patients suffering from severe obesity. 

What is your research area?

I am a clinical health psychologist. My research focuses on psychological health among patients with severe obesity, particularly in the context of seeking medical or surgical weight management. My goal is development and testing of interventions to improve psychosocial health for these patients to optimize resilience, reduce mental health symptoms, promote adaptive coping, expand support systems, improve engagement in health behaviors, and manage weight.

What makes it relevant?

At a time when the landscape of obesity medicine is shifting and new treatments are emerging (e.g., GLP-1s) and where there is increasing recognition of obesity as a chronic disease with biopsychosocial components (far more complex than the ‘just diet and exercise’ advice historically given), we have an opportunity to treat the whole health of our patients. This comprehensive approach needs to include psychological and social interventions to optimize health for these patients. I believe a paradigm shift to channel sources of strength and resilience instead of focusing solely on risk and pathology for this patient population is overdue.

How does it help the world?

The prevalence of obesity and severe obesity is increasing, with 9.2% of adults in the US falling into the BMI range for severe or class III obesity currently. Approaches to counter stigma, improve patient mental health, and utilize social support systems are necessary to optimize weight management efforts at the scale needed for public health impact. 

How has the CTSI helped you?

I am currently funded by a K12 institutional career development award from NIH/NCATS to University of Utah CTSI. My study is a pilot randomized controlled trial testing feasibility, acceptability, and proof of concept for a dyadic positive psychology intervention called ReConnect (Reimagining Us in the Context of Bariatric Surgery), designed to optimize psychosocial health for patients and their romantic partners in the years after bariatric surgery. Without CTSI and K12 support, I would not have the protected time to carry out this research or to participate in the many career development activities and trainings necessary to become an independent investigator. I also utilized the CTSI R01 writing groups to submit my first NIH R01 application in October for a study testing the psychological and behavioral effects on patients of undergoing genetic testing for obesity in the weight management clinic setting.