Knowledge of appropriate foods and beverages needed for weight loss and diet of patients in an Obesity Clinic

Nutrition knowledge is associated with greater weight loss in obese patients following a multidisciplinary rehabilitation program

BACKGROUND

A major objective of the metabolic-nutritional-psychological multidisciplinary rehabilitation of obese subjects is providing a nutritional education aimed at achieving a weight loss and the improvement of obesity-related cardio-metabolic diseases. The impact of nutrition knowledge in healthy eating patterns and weight loss is still debated. The aim of this study was to identify whether the increase in nutrition knowledge is associated with weight loss.

METHODS

Two hundred fifty-six obese patients (80% women, mean age 57.5±12.4 years) were consecutively recruited among those referred for a three-month metabolic-nutritional-psychologic rehabilitation program. Education level and time of the onset of obesity were collected. Before and at the end of the intervention, anthropometric measures and body composition were assessed and the Moynihan Questionnaire (MQ) and the International Physical Activity Questionnaire administered. The weight loss maintenance was evaluated in patients who attended the 6-month follow-up visit.

RESULTS

Nutrition knowledge was poor/sufficient in 97 out of 256 obese patients. The MQ Score was associated with the education level but not with age, gender and Body Mass Index. After rehabilitation, there was an increase in nutrition knowledge (mean score change -12±10.5%, P<0.0001) in the whole group of patients as well as in those with poor knowledge, 77% of whom reached a good/high level of knowledge on healthy diet. The improvement in knowledge was greater in patients with a weight loss ≥5% (P<0.05 vs. patients with a lower weight loss). Weight maintenance at follow-up, was associated with a better improvement in the nutritional knowledge during the previous rehabilitation.

CONCLUSIONS

Weight-management programs should include a strong component of nutrition education to alleviate knowledge inequalities and promote more effective weight loss and control. The MQ may be a useful tool to verify the nutritional education carried out during the rehabilitation of obese subjects.

Effectiveness of a Weight Management Program Applying Mobile Health Technology as a Supporting Tool for Overweight and Obese Working Women

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a weight management program applying mobile health (mHealth) technology as a supporting tool. A quasi-experimental research with a 1-group pretest and posttest design was conducted. Thirty-eight overweight and obese working women, aged 25 to 52 years, who were ready to take action on weight loss participated in a 12-week weight management program. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine the mean differences in related variables. The results showed that the mean weight and waist circumference of the participants significantly decreased from baseline to post-intervention (week 6) and follow-up (week 12; 72.2 ± 10.4, 71.6 ± 10.8, 71.4 ± 11.0 kg, P = .008, and 92.1 ± 10.1, 89.9 ± 9.9, 87.8 ± 10.7 cm, P < .001, respectively). Moreover, they had significantly improved self-efficacy for healthy eating and physical activity, eating behaviors, dietary intake patterns, and frequency of taking stairs. This weight management program was effective for the prevention and control of overweight and obesity.

Gender differences in weight status, dietary habits, and health attitudes among college students in Kuwait: A cross-sectional study

Background:

A better understanding of the factors involved in health and wellness among college students can aid in the design of interventions that can reduce the rate of weight gain during young adulthood.

Aim:

The aim of this study was to determine the gender differences in weight status, dietary habits, and health attitudes in a sample of college students at Kuwait University (KU).

Methods:

In this cross-sectional study, 615 students were recruited from KU between November 2013 and March 2014. Components of the study included a self-report questionnaire, assessment of body mass index, and calculation of Healthy Eating Score (HES) to assess eating habits and attitudes. Statistical analyses were performed to assess the gender differences among these domains.

Results:

The findings revealed that a greater proportion of men were overweight and obese compared to women (28.7% and 23.8% vs. 19.9% and 12.1%, respectively). Both genders show equally unhealthy dietary habits, marked by low mean HES scores. Gender-specific dietary patterns were noted, with more men reporting eating >6 oz (168 g) of animal protein per day as compared to women (48.4% vs. 28.9%, p < 0.001). A higher proportion of female students reported regular consumption of potato chips and fatty salty snacks (51.3% and 40.4%, respectively, p = 0.12) and that they ate sweets more than twice a day (52.5% and 39.9%, respectively, p = 0.041).

Conclusions:

Our findings highlight the need for evidence-based gender-specific strategies to reduce the number of overweight and obese college students and promote healthy dietary habits and eating attitudes among this population.

Identifying the mechanisms through which behavioral weight-loss treatment improves food decision-making in obesity

OBJECTIVES

Behavioral weight loss (BWL) programs are the recommended treatment for obesity, yet it is unknown whether these programs change one's ability to use self-control in food choices and what specific mechanisms support such change. Using experimental economics methods, we investigated whether changes in dietary behavior in individuals with obesity following BWL are driven by one or more of the following potential mechanisms: changes in the perception of the 1) health or 2) taste of food items, and/or 3) shifting decision weights for health versus taste attributes. Therefore, we compared these mechanisms between obese participants and lifetime normal weight controls (NW) both before and after BWL.

METHODS

Females with obesity (N = 37, mean BMI = 33.2) completed a food choice task involving health ratings, taste ratings, and decision-making pre- and post-standard BWL intervention. NW controls (N = 30, BMI = 22.4) completed the same task.

RESULTS

Individuals with obesity exhibited increased self-control (selecting healthier, less tasty food choices) post-treatment. However, their rates of self-control remained significantly lower than NW. We found no differences in initial health perceptions across groups, and no changes with treatment. In contrast, taste ratings and the relative value of taste versus health decreased following treatment. Although, post-treatment participants continued to perceive unhealthy foods as tastier and used less self-control than NW controls, they showed significant improvements in these domains following a BWL intervention.

CONCLUSIONS

To help individuals improve dietary decisions, additional research is needed to determine how to make greater changes in taste preferences and/or the assignment of value to taste versus health attributes in food choices.

Appetite for change: a multidisciplinary team approach to behavioral modification for weight management in a community health group setting

PURPOSE

Obesity is a growing issue in Australia with limited evidence for brief community based intervention. This preliminary study aimed to investigate the long term effects of a 4-week group based multidisciplinary behavior management program for weight loss in the community health setting.

METHOD

A quasi-experimental study design was employed recruiting patients referred to two Community Health Centers. Participants completed a 4-week Appetite for change program, comprising four 2-h group sessions co-facilitated by a multidisciplinary team. The mindfulness self efficacy scale (MSES), quality of life scale (QoL), and self-reported knowledge and stages of change were measured pre-treatment, immediately post-treatment and, 6 and 12 months post-treatment. Weight and waist circumference were additionally measured at baseline, 6 and 12 months post-treatment.

RESULTS

Eighty participants (mean age 63 ± 12.1 years) comprising 73 % women consented to participate. Statistically significant improvements (p ≤ 0.01) from pre-treatment were found at both 6 and 12 months, with a clinically significant mean percentage weight loss of approximately 4 %, and a mean improvement of 8.5 point on QoL at 12 months follow-up. Self-reported improvements in stages of change and knowledge were also maintained at 12 months.

CONCLUSION

Clinically and statistically significant long term improvements in all outcomes were found following a multidisciplinary brief intervention program for overweight/obese adults in the community health setting. The promising results following the Appetite for Change program warrant further controlled investigation.