PubMed Health⌕ Search

SEARCH · PubMed Health

Results for “Weight Reduction Programs”

Explore indexed PubMed citations for clinical trials, systematic reviews and public health research. Read source abstracts and follow each citation to its original PubMed record.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 505 records · Page 28Linked to original sources

2.5 years follow-up of weight and Body Mass Index values in the Weight Control for Life! program: a descriptive analysis.

This descriptive study monitored weight, Body Mass Index, and percent excess weight changes in 60 clients, (44 women, 16 men) at about 1 year and 2.5 years following participation in the Weight Control for Life! program. The program integrates the habit reversal treatment model with contingency management and operant reinforcement principles; nutrition education; physical activity; stress management; cognitive-restructuring; relapse prevention; social support; intensive, on-going maintenance; self-monitoring; and the use of a medically supervised very-low-calorie diet or low-calorie-diet. Clients' pretreatment and posttreatment weights averaged 104.28 kg (229.42 lb) and 79.89 kg (175.76 lb), respectively, representing a 68% reduction in excess body weight at the end of the weight loss phase of the program. Mean weight loss at about 1 year and 2.5 years post weight loss was 19.28 kg (42.42 lb) and 13.09 kg (28.80 lb), indicating subjects maintained 75% and 52% of their weight losses at these two time periods. Men lost more weight and maintained better losses than women. Overall, there was a 41% reduction in excess body weight at the end of 2.5 years.

Adolescent↗

Hypocholesterolemic effect of vegetable protein in a hypocaloric diet.

Eleven obese volunteers took part in a 12-week study during 8 weeks of which 2 meals of their control 1000 kcal diets were replaced by a soya based liquid formula (1 month) or a milk based liquid formula (1 month). The mean weight loss per month was 2.5 kg (P less than 0.05). On the soya formula total and LDL cholesterol levels were reduced significantly over the month by 10.0 +/- 2.7% (P less than 0.01) and 17.5 +/- 5.6% (P less than 0.02), respectively. Neither the milk based formula or the control low calorie diet lowered serum cholesterol significantly over the diet period. No change was seen in serum triglycerides on any of the 3 diets. No difference was seen between treatments in 24-h urinary C-peptide excretion. The results indicated that use of a vegetable protein supplement in a weight loss program which induced moderate weight loss was associated with a reduction in blood lipids, whereas moderate weight loss on a control low calorie diet or milk based formula was not.

Adult↗

Changing weight-loss expectations: a randomized pilot study.

Participants in weight-loss programs expect unreasonably large weight losses and believe that such reductions will produce dramatic improvements in their lives. The failure to achieve such benefits may contribute to poor maintenance of lost weight. This randomized pilot study investigated a new cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to modify unrealistic expectations regarding weight loss and its likely impact on appearance, attractiveness, and self-esteem. Twenty-eight overweight and obese young women who completed 10 sessions of standard behavioral weight-loss treatment were randomly assigned to 10 additional sessions of either standard behavioral (SB) treatment or a reformulated cognitive-behavioral (RCB) treatment. At posttreatment, the RCB intervention produced more realistic weight-loss expectations, decreased participants' motivation to lose weight as a means of improving self-confidence, and increased their overall self-esteem, compared with the SB condition (all p's<.05). The mean posttreatment weight changes achieved in the SB (-6.2+/-4.5 kg) and RCB (-5.5+/-3.6 kg) conditions were equivalent, as were the amounts of weight regained during a 6-month follow-up (SB=2.3+/-2.7 kg; RCB=1.5+/-1.7 kg). Collectively, these findings indicate that the RCB intervention was effective in changing unrealistic weight-loss expectations, but it did not produce significantly better maintenance of lost weight than did the SB intervention.

Adolescent↗

Walking program maintenance in women with elevated serum cholesterol.

Health benefits are commonly reported in supervised exercise studies but it is not known whether participants remain active upon completion of the program. The walking habits of 21 older women (M = 62.0 +/- 4.8 years) with moderately elevated serum cholesterol were monitored for 12 months following completion of a supervised walking program. The average amount they walked per week decreased significantly--from approximately 4.5 hours to less than 3 hours after 3 and 6 months. After 12 months, one third of the participants continued to walk for more than 4 hours per week, 50% walked from 2 to 4 hours per week, and 20% had quit walking. Walking maintenance was not significantly associated with fitness level, percentage of body fat, or change in weight during the supervised program. Those who achieved the greatest reduction in serum cholesterol, however, were more likely to maintain walking levels after 12 months. Perceived lack of control over their physical activity levels by older women and loss of socialization and feedback may explain the decrease in activity observed after completion of a supervised program.

Aged↗

Nutritional adequacy of diets reported at baseline and during trial years 1-6 by the special intervention and usual care groups in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial.

This chapter addresses whether a fat-modified diet as implemented by special intervention participants in the Multiple Risk Factor Intervention Trial affected intake of vitamins and minerals, and whether nutritional adequacy was altered by this dietary intervention. Despite likely underreporting of intake, for men in the special intervention group, most mean intakes of 15 micronutrients estimated from 24-h recalls were above established recommended dietary allowances. A few means were slightly below; lowest was zinc at 77% (from 98% at baseline) followed by calcium at 79% (from 102% at baseline). Calculated as nutrient densities (per 1000 kcal), nutrients that were below indexes of nutritional quality (the corresponding standard based on nutrient density) during follow-up, although not reduced below baseline by this measure, were vitamin D, calcium, iron (marginally), and zinc. Analyses by food groups indicated that intake of these nutrients might have been improved by greater replacement of high- and medium-fat dairy products with low-fat dairy products (for vitamin D and calcium) and of high-fat meats with low-fat meats, fish, or poultry (for iron and zinc), or (because iron was adequate) by increasing consumption of vegetables and whole-grain products. The safety of the eating pattern was further confirmed by more favorable micronutrient profiles in men who adhered best to the intervention program, as measured by degree of serum cholesterol reduction and weight loss.

Body Weight↗

Usefulness of ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in detecting the additional antihypertensive effect of non-pharmacologic treatment.

OBJECTIVE: The present study was designed to investigate whether a non-pharmacologic intervention program (NPIP) consisting of a weight-lowering diet, a reduction in alcohol consumption and physical training at 50% peak aerobic capacity could enhance the blood-pressure-lowering effect of calcium antagonists in obese sedentary, hypertensive patients. METHODS: Fifty-nine subjects were treatred with 5-10 mg isradipine once daily for 8 weeks and were then randomly allocated to either isradipine monotherapy or isradipine plus NPIP for 20 weeks. Clinic and ambulatory blood pressure were used for assessing the antihypertensive effect obtained in both treatment groups. RESULTS: Clinic and ambulatory systolic and diastolic blood pressures decreased significantly after 8 weeks of isradipine monotherapy. At week 28, the group treated with isradipine combined with NPIP and in which significant modifications in body weight (P < 0.0001), alcohol intake (P < 0.0001) and peak oxygen uptake (P <0.01) were observed, had significant (P < 0.05) additional decrements in ambulatory but not clinic blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: These results demonstrate that the addition of lifestyle modifications in obese sedentary hypertensive patients already receiving pharmacological therapy can induce further blood pressure decrements. Because significant decrements were noticed only with ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, the results of the present study advocate this technique for assessing the magnitude of blood pressure reduction with non-pharmacological therapy.

Journal Article↗

[Binge eating disorder].

In 1994 binge eating disorder (BED) was included into the DSM-IV as provisional diagnostic category requiring further study. The prevalence in the general population is 2%; BED is 1.5 times more common in women than men. Up to 30% of participants in weight loss programs meet criteria for BED. As opposed to patients with bulimia nervosa (BN), restraint or restrictive eating is not a necessary antecedent in the development of BED. Eating-related as well as general psychopathology is significantly more common in obese patients with BED compared to obese patients without BED. In treating obese patients with BED there are several potential goals of treatment, including cessation of binge eating and improvement of eating-related psychopathology (e.g. concerns about weight and shape), weight loss or prevention of further weight gain, improvement of physical health, and reduction of psychiatric co-morbidity. Contrary to expectations weight loss programs do not appear to worsen the eating disorder and successful treatment of binge eating does not automatically promote weight loss. Controlled treatment studies could demonstrate that psychotherapeutic approaches and drug treatment are successful in reducing binge eating episodes in patients with BED. Remission rates are generally high (e.g., 50% and more with CBT) and the overall prognosis is better than for patients with BN. Patients who achieve complete abstinence from binge eating lose more weight compared to patients who remain symptomatic; however the degree of weight loss after CBT targeting binge eating is modest and does not meet with the expectations of the patients. The long-term treatment success of drug treatment remains unclear. It is currently discussed if BED represents a truly distinct diagnostic entity.

Bulimia Nervosa↗

Hyperinsulinemic obesity and carbohydrate addiction: the missing link is the carbohydrate frequency factor.

It is proposed that chronic hyperinsulinemia is largely responsible for hunger, cravings and weight gain observed in many obese. This form of obesity can be treated by decreasing frequency of daily intake of carbohydrates to one well-balance meal each day and allowing for additional meals that are low in fat, low carbohydrates and high fiber. Animal experimentation and epidemiological evidence support the role of chronic hyperinsulinemia as a major factor in obesity and accounts for the frequent failures of diet and behavioral modification programs. Chronic hyperinsulinemia upsets metabolic balances and favors anabolic metabolism; fosters carbohydrate cravings; promotes insulin resistance which further promotes anabolic metabolism; and insulin resistance in turn exacerbates chronic hyperinsulinemia. This vicious cycle maintains excess weight and defeats diet and behavioral modification attempts to treat obesity. An eating program focused on reduction of chronic hyperinsulinemia coupled with appropriate exercise and behavior modification can successfully and permanently bring down cravings, hunger and body weight.

Animals↗

A diabetes control program in a public health care setting.

The Houston Diabetes Control Program is part of an effort by the State of Texas and approximately 30 other programs throughout the United States to ensure that persons with diabetes-related complications receive ongoing state-of-the-art preventive care and treatment. For the past 5 years, this program has served an urban, high-risk patient population with special cultural, ethnic, and economic challenges. The intervention has included the development and implementation of protocols for the prevention and care of diabetes-related complications of the eyes, lower extremities, and cardiovascular system, as well as general management of diabetes and patient and professional education. The program is ongoing in nine community health centers located in low-income neighborhoods of a large metropolitan area. The results thus far indicate an increase in sensitive eye examinations from 8 percent to 26 percent of the patient population, a reduction in incidence of legal blindness from 9.5 to 2.7 per 1,000 during a 4-year period, an increase in foot examinations from 18 percent to 44 percent of the patient population, and 77 percent of hypertensive patients in good control of blood pressure at less than 160 over 95 mmHg (millimeters of mercury). On the average, there have not been significant long-term improvements in weight reduction or blood glucose control. The major challenges for this program are (a) improvement in control of glycemia, hypertension, and cholesterol; (b) more effective diet and physical activity interventions; and (c) more effective education approaches that help patients to understand metabolic and cardiovascular functions. These challenges will require collaboration of health care professionals in constructive and imaginative ways through their unselfish commitment toward common goals.

Aged↗

Increase in plasma pollutant levels in response to weight loss is associated with the reduction of fasting insulin levels in men but not in women.

Environmental pollutants can act as endocrine modulators. In this study, we examined whether weight loss-induced changes in plasma organochlorine compounds (OC) were associated with those in plasma insulin levels. Fasting insulin and the area under the curve (AUC) of insulin after a 75-g oral glucose load, plasma levels of 1 commercial polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixture (Aroclor 1260), 1 PCB congener (PCB 153), and 3 pesticides (2,2'-bis(4-chlorophenyl)-1,1-dichloroethylene (p,p'-DDE), beta-hexachlorocyclohexane (beta-HCH), and hexachlorobenzene (HCB)) were measured before and after a 15-week weight loss program induced by a caloric restriction in a sample of obese men and women. Both genders showed a similar reduction in body weight (approximately 11 kg) in response to treatment, although men lost significantly more fat mass than women (mean +/- SD 9.4 +/- 4.1 v 5.9 +/- 5 kg, respectively, P <.05). Fasting insulin and AUC of insulin significantly decreased in men and women after the treatment. In response to weight loss, a significant increase in OC was observed in both genders, and this effect was more pronounced in men. The greater the increase in plasma OC levels, the greater the reduction in fasting insulin was in response to weight loss in men (-.49 < r < -.59, P <.05), but not in women (-.22 < r <.01, not significant [NS]). In both genders, no relationship was observed between changes in plasma OC levels and changes in AUC of insulin (-.41 < r < -.08, NS). In men, relationships between changes in plasma HCB, Aroclor 1260, and PCB-153 concentrations and those in fasting insulin levels in response to weight loss remained significantly correlated after correction for fat mass loss (-.46 < partial r < -.51, P values ranging from.05 to.07). These results suggest that weight loss-induced increase in plasma pollutant levels tends to be independently associated with the reduction of fasting insulin levels in men, but not in women. Further studies are needed to verify whether these findings are causally related.

Adipose Tissue↗

Maternal glucocorticoids and prenatal programming of hypertension.

Maternal glucocorticoids have been postulated to play an important role in prenatal programming for adult hypertension in the offspring. However, we have shown previously that offspring hypertension caused by maternal dexamethasone subcutaneous administration at 100 microg x kg(-1) x day(-1) can be accounted for by the corresponding reduction in food intake that these mothers experience. The present studies were designed to determine whether there is a lower dose of dexamethasone that does not reduce maternal food intake yet still causes hypertension in the adult offspring. Pregnant rats were treated with subcutaneous dexamethasone at 50 (D50) or 25 (D25) microg x kg(-1) x day(-1) on days 15-20 of pregnancy. An additional group was untreated or received vehicle injections (control). D25 and D50 dams reduced their food intake by 17% during and after treatment and gained 31% less weight than control over the course of gestation. In adulthood ( approximately 21 wk), chronically instrumented male offspring of D50 and D25 had normal blood pressures (D50: 131 +/- 2 mmHg and D25: 127 +/- 3 mmHg vs. 127 +/- 2 mmHg in control). Qualitatively similar results were found in female offspring. Thus neither dexamethasone per se at these doses nor the accompanying modest reductions in maternal food intake and weight gain have blood pressure programming effects. As far as has been tested, there does not appear to be a dose of dexamethasone that, given over this time period in the rat, programs offspring hypertension without reducing maternal food intake and weight gain. These data do not support the hypothesis that maternal glucocorticoids program offspring hypertension directly.

Animals↗

Evaluation of long-term weight changes after a multidisciplinary weight control program.

The American Medical Association Council on Scientific Affairs recently emphasized the importance of nutritionally sound weight reduction diets and changes in life-style to promote long-term weight control. The purpose of this study was to evaluate long-term effectiveness and to identify predictors of success of an intensive multidisciplinary program utilizing the time-calorie displacement diet, a low-fat, high-complex-carbohydrate diet, to promote and maintain reduced body weight. In 213 obese adults consecutively entering the program, including dropouts, weight loss averaged 6.3 kg (0.4 kg/week) and 16% of excess weight over 7 months of treatment. The 78 (37%) completing the recommended 15 visits lost a mean of 10.8 kg and 28% of their excess weight while under treatment. Weight loss was largely predicted by number of visits, which was more important than treatment duration. An increased number of visits was predicted by being married, being female, and reporting a usual diet low in snack foods. Of 147 patients contacted at posttreatment follow-up, 53% maintained their weight loss or continued to lose weight an average of 25 months later and 24% experienced weight rebound but were still below their pretreatment weight; only 23% regained their lost weight. Mean net weight loss from pretreatment to follow-up was 8.0 +/- 1.0 kg (mean +/- standard error of the mean). No factor significantly predicted posttreatment weight rebound. Results suggest that a nutritionally sound diet, prescribed in a multidisciplinary program and emphasizing life-style changes, can result in long-term weight control in a majority of patients treated.

Adult↗

Effects of psychosocial risk factors and prenatal interventions on birth weight: evidence from New Jersey's HealthStart program.

CONTEXT: Many states developed and implemented multifaceted Medicaid prenatal care programs in the late 1980s in response to expansions in Medicaid eligibility. Although these new programs were based on the presumed relationships between psychosocial risk factors, early prenatal care, prenatal interventions and birth outcomes, research has not verified all of these linkages. METHODS: Data were collected on 90,117 women who took part in New Jersey's comprehensive prenatal care program, HealthStart, between 1988 and 1996. The impact of psychosocial risk factors and prenatal interventions on mean birth weight and the odds of low birth weight (less than 2,500 g) was assessed using ordinary least-squares regression and logistic regression, respectively. RESULTS: After controls were introduced for social and demographic, psychosocial and behavioral factors, as well as the woman's county of residence and the year of her baby's birth, smoking, drinking and using hard drugs (but not marijuana) during pregnancy were independently associated with reductions in mean birth weight (of 123g, 29g and 137g, respectively) and with increases in the odds of low birth weight (odds ratios, 1.4, 1.2 and 1.7, respectively). However, according to the fully adjusted model, which also controlled for medical risk factors and prenatal services, the interventions designed to reduce those behaviors had no favorable effects on birth weight. In contrast, the receipt of services in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) was associated with an increase in mean birth weight of 22g (and of 48g among inadequately nourished women only), and with a reduction in the risk of low birth weight (odds ratio, 0.87). CONCLUSION: Referrals to WIC services should be a key feature of prenatal care programs for poor women.

Adult↗

The effects of peer counseling on smoking cessation and reduction.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a peer counseling intervention for pregnant smokers. METHODS: One hundred forty-two pregnant, predominantly Hispanic women were assigned to a peer-led smoking cessation program or to usual care. RESULTS: Compared with usual care, peer counseling reduced smoking (-9.1 versus -4.5 cigarettes daily, P =.03), but did not affect absolute quit rates (24% versus 21%) at 36 weeks' gestation. Infant birth weight negatively correlated with cigarettes smoked per day (r = -0.29, P <.01) and expired carbon monoxide (r = -0.39, (P <.001) at delivery. Birth weight for infants born to women who quit smoking averaged 7.2 lb versus 6.8 and 6.3 lb for mothers smoking one to six and more than six cigarettes per day at delivery (P <.01). CONCLUSION: Peer counseling reduced the number of cigarettes smoked daily but did not increase cigarette abstinence rates. Infant birth weight increases with both smoking cessation and smoking reduction, suggesting that peer counseling intervention programs may improve newborn health despite their failure to affect smoking cessation.

Adult↗

A multidimensional weight-management program for women.

Real and imagined overweight and obesity, and resulting weight-reduction efforts, are associated with the development of a variety of health problems and eating disorders. For many years, research and practice in the field of weight management have been based largely on a unidimensional, simplistic, weight-loss paradigm. The long-term success rate for persons using this paradigm has been low. This article presents a multidimensional paradigm that focuses on all aspects of the prevention, treatment, and management of weight-related problems. The goal is to stimulate a shift from the unidimensional to a more multidimensional approach in weight-management interventions. The paradigm presents weight management as a continuum on which 5 prominent points are identified: formulation of reasonable weight goals, prevention of unnecessary weight; gain or loss, weight loss when necessary, prevention of relapse, and acceptance of an overweight/obese physique when necessary. The intrapersonal characteristics and skills associated with this continuum, namely, self-esteem, body image, self-efficacy, locus of control, motivation, stress management, problem solving and decision making, and assertiveness, as well as the role of stage of change and environmental influences on weight management, are examined. Issues concerning the different dimensions of the paradigm are discussed as are challenges and applications for researchers and practitioners in the field of weight management.

Behavior Therapy↗

Worksite follow-up and engagement strategies for initiating health risk behavior changes.

Information is presented from a multiplant study of interventions to improve cardiovascular health among employees. Risk factors targeted were high blood pressure, obesity, and cigarette smoking. The study utilized on-site wellness counselors who periodically contacted all employees identified through screening as having one or more of the three risks. Use of a structured protocol for client outreach resulted in the large majority of clients being seen in follow-up during the three-year intervention period. Drawing from caseload experience and from various theoretical perspectives, seven engagement strategies were used to help guide at-risk clients toward successful behavior changes to reduce health risks. Results showed that of the three at-risk groups, clients with high blood pressure were most likely to be seen in follow-up, and most likely to begin a risk reduction program. For the overweight and smokers, clients seen three or more times were more likely to begin a weight-loss/smoking cessation program than clients seen less often. Frequency of follow-up showed a positive relationship with risk reduction for all three risks, in samples of employees rescreened at the end of the intervention period, but the relationship was not statistically significant for smoking cessation.

Cardiovascular Diseases↗

Obesity and hypertension: epidemiological aspects of the relationship.

A large proportion of hypertensive men and women in Europe and North America are overweight. In obesity, the expanded blood volume increases cardiopulmonary volume, cardiac filling, left ventricular preload, stroke volume and, thereby, left ventricular work. Given enough exposure time, it is probable that all obese persons in the Western hemisphere would become hypertensive unless they succumb to competing causes of death. A postulated causal role of obesity in hypertension is based on epidemiological observations. In prospective studies weight gainers in adolescence are more often hypertensive than weight stable individuals. In the lower socio-economic strata of industrialized countries there is a higher prevalence of obesity and hypertension. Persons with high body weight show the greatest rise of BP with age. More relevant demonstration of a causal relationship is weight reduction in hypertensive patients. The evidence from a variety of sources, a) risk factor reduction and enhanced BP reduction in the Hypertension Detection and Follow-up Program patients on antihypertensive medication who experienced modest weight loss, b) clinical observations of formerly obese hypertensives who can forego BP lowering drugs, and c) the reversibility of haemodynamic change found in many overweight hypertensive patients after losing 10 kg, strongly suggests that the impact of obesity on hypertension is considerable.

Adult↗

Health benefits of aerobic exercise.

Regular aerobic exercise has significant cardiovascular benefits, including a reduction in incidence of and mortality from coronary artery disease--probably because of positive effects on blood lipid levels and blood pressure. Aerobic exercise can also be an important adjunct to a weight-loss program. Many persons who continue an exercise program do so because of its positive mental benefits, including reduction in anxiety and depression and modulation of stress levels. Aerobic exercise has a place in the management of diabetes, pregnancy, and aging. The problems associated with aerobic exercise are minimal compared with its benefits.

Adult↗