PHYSICAL ACTIVITY ADOPTION AND WEIGHT LOSS IN AFRICAN AMERICANS WITH CLASS 1 TO CLASS 3 OBESITY.

Abstract

PURPOSE To assess physical activity (PA) adoption and associated weight loss among obese African Americans enrolled in a “Health Eating and Lifestyle Program” (HELP) for weight management. METHODS Obese (body mass index 30 to 50 kg/m2) African American adults (n = 86; mean age 46.5 ± 9.7 years), who participated in an initial 10-week program of weekly nutrition and behavior counseling classes, continued in a longer term trial of further weight loss and maintenance, and completed at least their first (at 3 months after enrollment) and last (at 12 to 21 months after enrollment, depending on the date of recruitment) follow up visits. Ways to increase PA were discussed during one of the weekly classes and, for most participants, also during a brief individual counseling session with an exercise consultant. Initial PA adoption was coded from openended information collected at the 3 month follow up visit. RESULTS 37% of participants reported participating in structured exercise, 15% reported routine lifestyle activity, 31% reported that they were not doing structured or lifestyle PA; PA adoption was unknown for 16%. Those who reported structured PA experienced greater weight loss than those who reported no PA at 3 months (−6.7 kg vs. +2.0 kg, respectively, p < 0.01), at the final visit (−7.4 kg vs. +1.1 kg, respectively, p < 0.01) and, where applicable, at the interim visit (−8.0 kg vs. −1.8 kg, respectively, p < 0.01). Those who reported lifestyle PA had greater weight loss than those who reported no PA, but the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSION Over half of the participants reported lifestyle or structured PA at the 3 month visit, and these participants had substantially greater weight loss than those who reported no initial PA adoption or those with unknown PA adoption. This may reflect greater motivation and overall adherence in the PA adopters as well as direct benefits of the increased PA itself. Supported by American Heart Association Grant 9970068N.