Family functioning and the implications for adult weight management.

Introduction: Strong support for family-based interventions in child and adolescent weight management exists. However, family-based interventions have not been as well documented in adult populations. Given that many adults operate within family systems that could influence their weight management behaviors, research is needed to establish possible family-level variables as intervention targets for adult weight loss programs.

Financial implications of New York City's weight management initiative.

Purpose: To estimate potential annual savings in medical expenditures from a subsidized weight management program from the NYC Government perspective.

Design: Longitudinal observational study.

Setting: Employees of New York City (NYC) government and enrolled dependents.

Examination of a partial dietary self-monitoring approach for behavioral weight management.

Introduction: Dietary self-monitoring in behavioral weight loss programmes traditionally involves keeping track of all foods and beverages to achieve a calorie deficit. While effective, adherence declines over time. WW™ (formerly Weight Watchers), a widely available commercial weight management programme, sought to pilot an approach that permitted participants to consume over 200 foods without monitoring them.

Weight Stigma Among Sexual Minority Adults: Findings from a Matched Sample of Adults Engaged in Weight Management.

Objective: Despite elevated rates of obesity among some groups of sexual minority (SM) adults, research examining weight stigma in this population is scarce.

Methods: Weight stigma and weight-related health correlates were assessed in SM adults (N = 658) versus heterosexual adults (N = 658) matched on sex, race/ethnicity, age, education, and BMI. Adults enrolled in WW (formerly Weight Watchers) completed digital questionnaires assessing experienced weight stigma, weight bias internalization (WBI), weight cycling, eating self-efficacy, eating to cope, physical activity, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL).

Examining the pattern of new foods and beverages consumed during obesity treatment to inform strategies for self-monitoring intake.

Maintaining dietary self-monitoring during obesity treatment may improve outcomes. As dietary variety is associated with energy intake, understanding the pattern of when new foods and beverages are consumed may assist with identifying when self-monitoring should occur. This study examined dietary variety (total number of differing foods and beverages consumed) from the first 40 days of self-monitoring records reporting ≥ 3 eating occasions and >600 kcal/day from 60 adults (55.

Levels of adherence needed to achieve significant weight loss.

Background/objectives: Positive associations have been found between adherence and weight loss in behavioral weight-management interventions. However, less attention has been given to the level of adherence needed to reach clinically significant weight loss. This study examined the levels of adherence associated with a ≥ 5% - < 10% or ≥ 10% weight loss in a community-based, intensive behavioral weight management program, Weight Watchers® (WW), which included three modes of access: (1) 24-weekly WW meetings over 6 months, (2) the WW member website, and (3) the WW mobile application.

How prescriptive support affects weight loss in weight-loss intervention participants and their untreated spouses.

Objective: Controlling or prescriptive support styles (e.g., pressure) often hinder weight loss, but can sometimes be beneficial.

Financial incentive strategies for maintenance of weight loss: results from an internet-based randomized controlled trial.

Background/objective: Financial incentives can improve initial weight loss; we examined whether financial incentives can improve weight loss maintenance.

Subjects/methods: Participants aged 30-80 years who lost at least 5 kg during the first 4-6 months in a nationally available commercial weight loss program were recruited via the internet into a three-arm randomized trial of two types of financial incentives versus active control during months 1-6 (Phase I) followed by passive monitoring during months 7-12 (Phase II). Interventions were daily self-weighing and text messaging feedback alone (control) or combined with a lottery-based incentive or a direct incentive.

Randomized Controlled Trial Examining the Ripple Effect of a Nationally Available Weight Management Program on Untreated Spouses.

Objective: For married couples, when one spouse participates in weight loss treatment, the untreated spouse can also experience weight loss. This study examined this ripple effect in a nationally available weight management program.

Methods: One hundred thirty dyads were randomized to Weight Watchers (WW; n = 65) or to a self-guided control group (SG; n = 65) and assessed at 0, 3, and 6 months.

Characteristics of tobacco purchases in urban corner stores.

Introduction: To examine the prevalence and patterns of tobacco purchases at low-income, urban corner stores.

Methods: Data on tobacco products and other purchases were collected through direct observation of customers' purchases (n=6369) at 120 urban corner stores in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from April to September 2012.

Results: Overall 13% of corner store purchases included tobacco products.

The effects of water and non-nutritive sweetened beverages on weight loss and weight maintenance: A randomized clinical trial.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of water versus beverages sweetened with non-nutritive sweeteners (NNS) on body weight in subjects enrolled in a year-long behavioral weight loss treatment program.

Methods: The study used a randomized equivalence design with NNS or water beverages as the main factor in a trial among 303 weight-stable people with overweight and obesity. All participants participated in a weight loss program plus assignment to consume 24 ounces (710 ml) of water or NNS beverages daily for 1 year.

Corner stores: the perspective of urban youth.

Objective: We examined the perspectives of low-income, urban youth about the corner store experience to inform the development of corner store interventions.

Design: Focus groups were conducted to understand youth perceptions regarding their early shopping experiences, the process of store selection, reasons for shopping in a corner store, parental guidance about corner stores, and what their ideal, or "dream corner store" would look like. Thematic analysis was employed to identify themes using ATLAS.

Changes in quantity, spending, and nutritional characteristics of adult, adolescent and child urban corner store purchases after an environmental intervention.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess one-year changes in corner store purchases (nutritional characteristics, amount spent) of children, adolescents, and adults in a low-income urban environment before and after implementing an environmental intervention to increase the availability of healthier products.

Methods: Corner store owners were provided tools (trainings, signage, refrigeration) to increase the promotion and availability of several healthy foods. Based on the degree of support provided, stores were classified as "basic" or "high-intensity" intervention stores.

A randomized controlled study of a healthy corner store initiative on the purchases of urban, low-income youth.

Objective: Although many initiatives exist to improve the availability of healthy foods in corner stores, few randomized trials have assessed their effects. This study evaluated, in a randomized controlled trial, the effects of a first-generation healthy corner store intervention on students' food and beverage purchases over a 2-year period.

Methods: Participants (n = 767) were fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade students.

Consumer taste tests and milk preference in low-income, urban supermarkets.

Objective: To explore shoppers' responses to the taste of different types of cow's milk in a blind taste test and to examine their willingness to purchase lower-fat milk as part of an in-store marketing intervention.

Design: Participants were recruited on-site in the supermarket to participate in a blind taste test of three varieties of cow's milk and asked to guess what type they sampled.

Setting: The taste testing was conducted as part of the Healthy Retail Solution (HRS) intervention that took place in four large supermarkets in Philadelphia, PA, USA over the course of six months.

The effects of water and non-nutritive sweetened beverages on weight loss during a 12-week weight loss treatment program.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of non-nutritive sweetened beverages (NNS) or water for weight loss during a 12-week behavioral weight loss treatment program.

Methods: An equivalence trial design with water or NNS beverages as the main factor in a prospective randomized trial among 303 men and women was employed. All participants participated in a behavioral weight loss treatment program.

Placement and promotion strategies to increase sales of healthier products in supermarkets in low-income, ethnically diverse neighborhoods: a randomized controlled trial.

Background: The greater presence of supermarkets in low-income, high-minority neighborhoods has the potential to positively affect diet quality among those at greatest risk of obesity. In-store marketing strategies that draw attention to healthier products may be effective, sustainable, and scalable for improving diet quality and health. Few controlled studies of in-store marketing strategies to promote sales of healthier items in low-income, high-minority neighborhoods have been conducted.

Middle school student and parent perceptions of government-sponsored free school breakfast and consumption: a qualitative inquiry in an urban setting.

Universal free access to school breakfast is available in large urban schools, but participation rates are less than half of what they are at lunch. The purpose of this qualitative study was to understand the discrepancy between access and participation in school breakfast in a low-income, urban school district. Youth (n=23) and parents (n=22) were recruited from three middle schools where ≥ 50% of students were eligible for free or reduced-price meals.