Support Needs of Overweight African American Women for Weight Loss

The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore perceptions and beliefs about body size, weight, and weight loss among obese African American women in order to form a design of weight loss intervention with this target population. Six focus groups were conducted at a community health clinic. Participants were predominantly middle-aged with a mean Body Mass Index of 40.3 ± 9.2 kg/m2. Findings suggest that participants (a) believe that people can be attractive and healthy at larger sizes; (b) still feel dissatisfied with their weight and self-conscious about their bodies; (c) emphasize eating behavior as the primary cause for weight gain; (d) view pregnancy, motherhood, and caregiving as major precursors to weight gain; (e) view health as the most important reason to lose weight; (f) have mixed experiences and expectations for social support for weight loss; and (g) prefer treatments that incorporate long-term lifestyle modification rather than fad diets or medication.

Download Full-text

Weight Loss Goals Among African-American Women With Type 2 Diabetes in a Behavioral Weight Control Program

Obesity ◽

10.1038/oby.2010.350 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 19 (11) ◽

pp. 2283-2285 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Della B. White ◽

Zoran Bursac ◽

Vicki DiLillo ◽

Delia S. West

Keyword(s):

Type 2 Diabetes ◽

Weight Loss ◽

African American ◽

African American Women ◽

Weight Control ◽

Control Program ◽

American Women ◽

Weight Control Program

Download Full-text

Better Me Within Randomized Trial: Faith-Based Diabetes Prevention Program for Weight Loss in African American Women

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117120958545 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 089011712095854

Author(s):

Heather Kitzman ◽

Abdullah Mamun ◽

Leilani Dodgen ◽

Donna Slater ◽

George King ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Weight Loss ◽

African American ◽

Health Behaviors ◽

Randomized Trial ◽

African American Women ◽

Prevention Program ◽

Diabetes Prevention ◽

Diabetes Prevention Program ◽

American Women ◽

Faith Based

Purpose: Previous DPP translations in African American women have been suboptimal. This trial evaluated a community-based participatory research developed faith-based diabetes prevention program (DPP) to improve weight loss in African American women. Design: This cluster randomized trial allocated churches to faith-based (FDPP) or standard (SDPP) DPP interventions. Setting. African American churches. Subjects. Eleven churches with 221 African American women (aged 48.8 ± 11.2 years, BMI = 36.7 ± 8.4) received the FDPP (n = 6) or SDPP (n = 5) intervention. Intervention: FDPP incorporated 5 faith-based components, including pastor involvement, into the standard DPP curriculum. The SDPP used the standard DPP curriculum. Lay health leaders facilitated interventions at church sites. Measures: Weight and biometrics were collected by blinded staff at baseline, 4- and 10-months. Analysis: A multilevel hierarchical regression model compared the FDPP and SDPP groups on outcomes. Results: FDPP and SDPP churches significantly lost weight at 10-months (overall −2.6%, p < .01). Women in FDPP churches who attended at least 15 sessions lost an additional 6.1 pounds at 4-months compared to SDPP corresponding to a 5.8% reduction at 10-months (p < .05). Both groups had significant improvements in health behaviors and biometrics. Conclusions: Faith-based and standard DPP interventions led by lay health leaders successfully improved weight, health behaviors, and chronic disease risk. However, the faith-based DPP when fully implemented met the CDC’s recommendation for weight loss for diabetes prevention in African American women.

Download Full-text

Overcoming Obesity: A Mixed Methods Study of the Impact of Primary Care Physician Counseling on Low-Income African American Women Who Successfully Lost Weight

American Journal of Health Promotion ◽

10.1177/0890117117690853 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 32 (2) ◽

pp. 374-380 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Elaine Seaton Banerjee ◽

Sharon J. Herring ◽

Katelyn E. Hurley ◽

Katherine Puskarz ◽

Kyle Yebernetsky ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Primary Care ◽

Weight Loss ◽

African American ◽

Mixed Methods ◽

African American Women ◽

Low Income ◽

Positive Deviance ◽

American Women ◽

Patient Reported ◽

The Impact

Purpose: Low-income, African American women are disproportionately impacted by obesity. Little is known about the interactions between low-income, African American women who successfully lost weight and their primary care physicians (PCPs). Design: Mixed methods, positive deviance study. Setting: Urban university-based family medicine practice. Participants: The positive deviance group comprised low-income, African American women who were obese, lost 10% body weight, and maintained this loss for 6 months. Measures: The PCP- and patient-reported weight-related variables collected through the electronic medical record (EMR), surveys, and interviews. Analysis: Logistic regression of quantitative variables. Qualitative analysis using modified grounded theory. Results: The EMR documentation by PCPs of dietary counseling and a weight-related medical problem were significant predictors of positive deviant group membership. Qualitative analyses of interviews revealed 5 major themes: framing obesity in the context of other health problems provided motivation; having a full discussion around weight management was important; an ongoing relationship with the physician was valuable; celebrating small successes was beneficial; and advice was helpful but self-motivation was necessary. Conclusion: The PCP counseling may be an important factor in promoting weight loss in low-income, African American women. Patients may benefit from their PCPs drawing connections between obesity and weight-related medical conditions and enhancing intrinsic motivation for weight loss.

Download Full-text