Lay Health Educators Translating an Evidence-based Weight Loss Intervention to Obese Older Adults in Rural Senior Centers

Details

• Alternative Title:
  Am J Prev Med
• Personal Author:
  West, Delia Smith ; Bursac, Zoran ; Cornell, Carol E. ; Felix, Holly C. ; Fausett, Jennifer K. ; Krukowski, Rebecca A ; Lensing, Shelly ; Love, ShaRhonda ; Prewitt, T. Elaine ; Beck, Cornelia
• Description:
  Background:
  
  Older adults have high obesity rates and respond well to evidence-based weight loss programs, such as the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) Lifestyle intervention.
  
  Purpose:
  
  To determine whether a lay-health-educator-delivered translation of the DPP Lifestyle program conducted in senior centers is effective in promoting weight loss among older adults.
  
  Design:
  
  A randomized, controlled trial with older adults nested within senior centers. Senior centers identified lay health educators or “coaches” to receive training and deliver the intervention program at the senior center. Senior centers were randomized to DPP Lifestyle program or an attention control intervention (cognitive training).
  
  Setting:
  
  Senior centers (N=15) located throughout Arkansas.
  
  Participants:
  
  Participants (N=228) were obese (BMI=34.5±4.9), older (71.2± 6.6 years) adults able to engage in moderate exercise. Four-month follow-up data were collected on 93% of the original cohort between February 2009 and July 2010.
  
  Intervention:
  
  A 12-session translation of the Diabetes Prevention Lifestyle behavioral weight control program delivered in group sessions by trained lay health educators.
  
  Main Outcome Measure(s):
  
  Body weight was assessed by digital scale. Percent weight loss from baseline and proportion achieving ≥5% and ≥7% weight loss were examined. Analyses were completed in July 2011.
  
  Results:
  
  Participants attending senior centers randomized to Lifestyle lost a significantly greater percent of baseline weight (3.8% , 95% CI, 2.9 – 4.6%) than those in the control senior centers (0.2%, 95% CI, −.6 - .9%) after adjusting for baseline BMI and gender (p < .001). Among participants attending senior centers offering the Lifestyle program, 38% lost ≥ 5% of baseline weight compared with 5% in the control arm (p<.001). Similarly, significantly more participants (24%) in Lifestyle senior centers lost ≥ 7% than did control participants (3%, p=.001).
  
  Conclusions:
  
  A lay-health-educator-delivered behavioral lifestyle weight loss intervention offers a promising vehicle for translation of evidence-based obesity treatment programs in underserved areas.
  
  
• Subjects:
  Aged Aged, 80 And Over Body Mass Index Diffusion Of Innovation Evidence-Based Medicine Female Health Educators Health Promotion Humans Life Style Male Obesity Weight Loss Weight Reduction Programs

  More +
• Source:
  Am J Prev Med. 41(4):385-391
• Pubmed ID:
  21961465
• Pubmed Central ID:
  PMC6737925
• Document Type:
  Journal Article
• Funding:
  R18 DP001145/DP/NCCDPHP CDC HHSUnited States/
• Volume:
  41
• Issue:
  4
• Collection(s):
  CDC Public Access
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:538a3473372c3bcc4d520e4b659847b8b5213b6f7d3dc2adc9b30432bc8a0312
• Download URL:
  https://stacks.cdc.gov/view/cdc/134160/cdc_134160_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 247.68 KB ]