Interventions For Overweight Women Research Articles

Effect of aerobic exercise on insulin resistance and central adiposity disappeared after the discontinuation of intervention in overweight women

PurposeThis study aimed to assess whether the benefits of exercise on central adiposity and insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) are maintained after discontinuation of intervention in the overweight/obese (OWOB) women. MethodsThe study subjects were from 2 independent studies with similar aerobic exercise (AE) intervention programs. In study I, 15 OWOB postmenopausal women with pre-diabetes (body mass index, BMI = 24–33 kg/m2, aged 52–65 years) completed an 8-month exercise intervention and were followed for 2 years after the intervention. In study II, 12 OWOB (BMI = 25–35 kg/m2, aged 30–50 years) premenopausal women participated in a 6-week AE and were followed for 4 years after the intervention. The exercise program consisted of progressive AE with intensity of 60%–75% of initial fitness level, 30–60 min/time and 3–5 times/week. Fat mass (FM) was assessed by Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA Prodigy; study I) or bioelectrical impedance device (Inbody 720; study II). Plasma glucose and insulin were assessed by chemiluminescent immunoassay and HOMA-IR was calculated. ResultsBoth 8-month and 6-week moderate AE were effective in reducing HOMA-IR (−18.9%, p = 0.012 and −26.7%, p = 0.046, respectively), and 8-month AE reduced FM at upper abdominal region (−6.2%, p = 0.021). However, these improvements were not maintained in either study at the follow-up. ConclusionThe AE program used in these studies was effective to reduce insulin resistance and/or FM in central body region among overweight and obese women. However, when exercise intervention was discontinued, the beneficial effects following both short- and long-term intervention disappeared. Thus maintaining exercise seems to be required if one wants to reap the benefits of exercise in the long-term.

Effectiveness of nutritional intervention in overweight women in Primary Health Care

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of nutritional intervention in overweight women undergoing Primary Health Care.Methods: An intervention study was conducted with overweight adult and elderly women aged 20 years or older (body mass index ≥25.0 kg/m² and ≥27.0 kg/m², respectively) who were subjected to 12 months of individual nutritional monitoring. The effectiveness of the intervention was assessed by dietary, health, and anthropometric indicators.Results: Most of the 71 individuals were adults with a low income and poor level of education. After the intervention, there was an increase in number of meals and in the frequency of breakfasting. Moreover, there were more fruits and vegetables consumed, in addition to a decrease in household availability of salt, sugar, oil, and fried foods consumption. An improvement in health and weight self-perception was observed, as well as a decrease in body mass and abdominal adiposity, in particular among those participating in several consultations (n >9).Conclusion: The proposed nutritional intervention was effective and viable for improving the care of overweight individuals and those suffering from destabilized comorbidities, and may be extended to other contexts.

Performance on the Iowa Gambling Task is related to magnitude of weight loss and salivary cortisol in a diet-induced weight loss intervention in overweight women

The overall objective of this study was to examine the relationship between executive function, specifically decision-making, and weight loss. We used the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) to characterize decision-making and compared performance on this task to weight loss in obese women (n=29) participating in a 12-week controlled, calorie-reduced intervention. We hypothesized that a greater amount of weight loss over the course of the intervention would be associated with better performance on the IGT, assessed at the end of the intervention. The intervention led to significant weight loss of 5.8±3.1kg (p<0.05) and fat loss of 5.1±3.0kg (p<0.05). Body weight and fat mass losses over the 12-week intervention varied widely, ranging from −12.5kg to 0.0kg for body weight and −10.4kg to +0.8kg for fat mass. A greater amount of body weight loss was correlated (r=0.425; p<0.01) with a higher total score on the IGT. Similarly, the reduction in body fat mass was also correlated with the IGT score (r=0.408; p<0.05). We examined other physiological (salivary cortisol), metabolic (resting energy expenditure), and behavioral (food intake; dietary restraint) factors that might be related to differences in the magnitude of weight loss. Of these variables, ad libitum consumption of energy, fat and protein during a buffet meal was inversely related to weight loss (r=−0.428; p<0.05; r=−0.375; p<0.05 and r=−0.472; p=0.01, respectively). The present study is the first to report an association between diet-induced weight loss and performance on the IGT, and this association was specific to the loss of body fat. Our results suggest that differences in weight loss may be linked to executive function that involves decision-making about events that have emotionally or socially salient ramifications. These findings underscore the need to further investigate higher cognitive and neuroendocrine pathways that may influence or be altered by the process of dieting and weight loss.

The effect of 18 months of a behavioral and exercise intervention in overweight women of Mozambique

The effect of 18 months of a behavioral and exercise intervention in overweight women of Mozambique

Holistic Self-Care Model for Permanent Weight Control

Nearly one fourth of adult women in the United States are currently overweight, despite numerous approaches to weight control. Nurses are confused about appropriate interventions for overweight women who weight cycle--that is, experience repeated periods of weight loss followed by weight regain. Women continue to suffer the negative physical, psychological, and financial consequences of weight cycling, which is related to increased adiposity, an additional important health risk. Moderately successful, long-term weight control treatments are programs that have a combined intervention prescribing both controlled amounts of health food intake and aerobic exercise. Although such a physical program can promote weight loss, the psychological components often are not considered and are the reasons why so many diet/exercise programs fail. The Holistic Self-Care Model combines the successful physical, cognitive, and psychological essentials of healthy approaches for weight reduction as a means of stopping weight cycling and promoting weight control.