Publication Date
8-1-2019
Journal
Contemporary Clinical Trials
Abstract
Physicians are recommended to screen and refer obese patients to weight management programs (WMPs). There are often limited referral options for physicians, though commercially-available WMPs could be a potential solution. The purpose of this study (Path to Health) was to evaluate the efficacy of health coaching to promote enrollment in commercially-available WMPs through a two-arm, RCT with obese patients (n = 168) randomly assigned to intervention (n = 84) or control groups (n = 84). Intervention participants received phone health coaching to help them select and enroll in WMPs. We collected data on program enrollment, weight, self-reported physical activity (PA), and fruit and vegetable (FV) intake at baseline, 3- and 6-months. We used logistic regression to assess the intervention effect on enrollment in WMPs and longitudinal regression models to evaluate the effect on weight change, PA and FV intake. The average age was 54.7 years, 59% were female and 43% were Black and 49% were White. At 6 months, 39% of the intervention group (vs. 29% of control) had enrolled in WMPs. We found no longitudinal intervention effect on weight, PA and FV intake. We found that there was more weight loss for those who completed ≥4 calls as compared to those who completedstudy, we found that phone health coaching was successful in increasing obese adults' enrollment in commercially-available WMPs and that there was a dose response relationship for weight and behavioral outcomes.
Keywords
Body Mass Index, Diet Therapy, Exercise, Female, Health Behavior, Health Promotion, Humans, Male, Mentoring, Middle Aged, Obesity, Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care, Remote Consultation, Self-Management, Weight Reduction Programs