EDUCATION PROGRAM TO TEACH WEIGHT LOSS

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. Prevalence of overweight/obesity is a major concern that speaks to the need for effective weight-loss interventions that can be followed long-term. The 2005 Dietary Guidelines provide food-group recommendations to achieve nutrient adequacy. The purpose of the study is to develop a weight-loss program using the 2005 Dietary Guidelines at the extremes of dietary fat recommended (20% and 35% energy). The education program will consist of 28 lessons, focusing on nutrition and physical activity. It will be tested in a year-long weight-loss intervention (4 months of weight-loss, 8 months of weight-maintenance) in 100 overweight/obese pre-menopausal women. Education sessions will be held weekly for 4 months, biweekly for the next 4 months, and monthly for the last four months. Subjects will attend 2 supervised workouts weekly. The primary endpoint is weight loss;other endpoints include body composition, lipids and lipoproteins, C-reactive protein, glucose, insulin, quality of life, eating competence, appetite, and diet satisfaction. It is hypothesized that both diets will elicit weight-loss;however, 'profiles'defined by quality of life, eating competence, diet satisfaction, and appetite will determine which diet is better for different people. It is hypothesized that adherence will be greater in the moderate-fat group while caloric reduction will be more successful in the lower-fat group.