Weight loss maintenance strategies among rural breast cancer survivors: The rural women connecting for better health trial

Christie A. Befort, Jennifer R. Klemp, Debra K. Sullivan, Theresa Shireman, Francisco J. Diaz, Kathryn Schmitz, Michael G. Perri, Carol Fabian

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

44 Scopus citations

Abstract

Objective: Obesity is a risk factor for breast cancer recurrence. Rural women have higher obesity rates compared with urban women and are in need of distance-based interventions that promote long-term weight loss. Methods: In this two-phase trial, rural breast cancer survivors who lost >5% of their starting weight during a 6-month lifestyle intervention (delivered through weekly group conference calls) were randomized to one of two 12-month interventions for weight loss maintenance: continued biweekly phone-based group counseling or mailed newsletters. The primary outcome was weight regain from 6 to 18 months. Secondary outcomes included dichotomous measures of weight change and costs. Results: Mean weight loss at 6 months was 14.0 ± 5.1%. Participants in the group phone condition regained less weight (3.3 ± 4.8 kg) compared with participants in the newsletter condition (4.9 ± 4.8 kg; P = 0.03). At 18 months, 75.3% of participants in the group phone condition remained ≥5% below baseline weight compared with 57.8% in the newsletter condition (P = 0.02). Incremental cost-effectiveness ratios were $882 to keep one more person ≥5% below baseline weight. Conclusions: A lifestyle intervention incorporating group phone-based support improved the magnitude of weight loss maintained and increased the proportion of survivors who maintained clinically significant reductions.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)2070-2077
Number of pages8
JournalObesity
Volume24
Issue number10
DOIs
StatePublished - Oct 1 2016

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Medicine (miscellaneous)
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Endocrinology
  • Nutrition and Dietetics

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