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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
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The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA |
Ellen Stoakley Clevenger-Firley, MS, RD, Judy Walrath, PhD, and James Lenhard, MD. Eugene du Pont Preventive Medicine & Rehabilitation Institute, Christiana Care Health System, 3506 Kennett Pike, Wilmington, DE 19807, 302-661-3006, eclevenger@christianacare.org
Obesity remains a leading public health problem because of its medical complications and prevalence, as well as the difficulty of achieving significant and lasting changes in health behaviors. The effectiveness of weight management programs is enhanced by addressing long-term lifestyle changes and being flexible in meeting the scheduling needs of participants. Nutrition 9 to 5 is based on the behavioral change concepts of the LEARN© program (Lifestyle, Exercise, Attitudes, Relationships and Nutrition). Participants register in one-month blocks for up to four months. The program comprises weekly counseling sessions that include one face-to-face meeting with a registered dietitian each month, and the remaining sessions conducted by phone on a weekly basis. Topics for all sessions are based on the LEARN©; program, with individual packets of educational material mailed out in advance for the telephone counseling sessions.
A total of 108 clients who completed the Nutrition 9 to 5 program as of December, 2001, were eligible for study. Seventy-two percent were women, median age was 51 and average BMI at start of the program was 37.4. Upon completion of the program, average weight loss was 7.9 pounds (0.7 per week), with men losing significantly faster than women.
This program demonstrates that behavior modification programs for the purpose of weight loss can be successfully conducted largely by telephone in lieu of the typical group meetings. This program is appealing to individuals who cannot or do not wish to participate in a group format.
Learning Objectives:
Keywords: Weight Management,
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.