Weight management in rural health clinics: The Midwest diet and exercise trial

Weight management in rural health clinics: Results from the randomized midwest diet and exercise trial

Introduction

Rural living adults have higher rates of obesity compared with their urban counterparts and less access to weight management programs. Previous research studies have demonstrated clinically relevant weight loss in rural living adults who complete weight management programs delivered by university affiliated interventionists. However, this approach limits the potential reach, adoption, implementation, and maintenance of weight management programs for rural residents. Weight management delivered through rural health clinics by non-physician clinic associated staff, for example, nurses, registered dieticians, allied health professionals, etc. has the potential to improve access to weight management for rural living adults. This trial compared the effectiveness of a 6-month multicomponent weight management intervention for rural living adults delivered using group phone calls (GP), individual phone calls (IP) or an enhanced usual care control (EUC) by rural clinic associated staff trained by our research team.

Methods

Rural living adults with overweight/obesity (n = 187, age ∼ 50 years 82% female, body mass index ∼35 kg/m2) were randomized (2:2:1) to 1 of 3 intervention arms: GP, which included weekly ∼ 45 min sessions with 7-14 participants (n = 71), IP, which included weekly ∼ 15 min individual sessions (n = 80), or EUC, which included one-45 min in-person session at baseline.

Results

Weight loss at 6 months was clinically relevant, that is, ≥5% in the GP (-11.4 kg, 11.7%) and the IP arms (-9.1 kg, 9.2%) but not in the EUC arm (-2.6%, -2.5% kg). Specifically, 6 month weight loss was significantly greater in the IP versus EUC arms (-6.5 kg. p ≤ 0.025) but did not differ between the GP and IP arms (-2.4 kg, p > 0.025). The per participant cost per kg. weight loss for implementing the intervention was $93 and $60 for the IP and GP arms, respectively.

Conclusions

Weight management delivered by interventionists associated with rural health clinics using both group and IP calls results in clinically relevant 6 months weight loss in rural dwelling adults with overweight/obesity with the group format offering the most cost-effective strategy. Clinical trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02932748).

Rural engagement in primary care for optimizing weight reduction (REPOWER): A mixed methods study of patient perceptions

OBJECTIVE

To report on patients' satisfaction and experience of care across three different modes of weight loss counseling.

METHODS

1407 patients with obesity in the rural Midwest were enrolled to a 2-year weight management trial through their primary care practice and assigned to one of three treatment conditions: in-clinic individual, in-clinic group, phone group counseling. Patients completed surveys assessing seven domains of satisfaction and experience of care at 6 and 24-months. Post-treatment interviews were conducted to add context to survey responses.

RESULTS

1295 (92.0%) and 1230 (87.4%) completed surveys at 6 and 24-months, respectively. Patients in phone group counseling reported lower satisfaction than patients who received in-clinic group or in-clinic individual counseling across all domains at 6-months and five out of seven domains at 24-months. Interviews revealed that patients were more satisfied when they received face-to-face counseling and had meaningful interactions with their primary care provider (PCP) about their weight.

CONCLUSION

Rural patients with obesity have higher satisfaction and experience of care when weight loss counseling is delivered in a face-to-face environment and when their PCP is involved with their treatment.

PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS

Primary care practices looking to offer weight loss treatment should consider incorporating some level of face-to-face treatment plans that involves meaningful interaction with the PCP.