Differential response of African American and Caucasian women to extended-care programs for obesity management.

Objective: The current study examined ethnic differences in patterns of weight loss and regain in response to an initial behavioral weight loss intervention followed by an extended-care maintenance program.

Methods: We analyzed data from 224 women (African American n = 43, Caucasian n = 181) from rural communities who participated in an initial 6-month lifestyle intervention for obesity and were then randomized to a face-to-face, telephone, or educational/control extended-care condition.

Results: African American participants lost less weight during the initial phase of treatment than Caucasian participants (mean +/- SE = -6.

Problem solving, treatment adherence, and weight-loss outcome among women participating in lifestyle treatment for obesity.

Objective: This study examined whether improvements in problem-solving abilities mediate the relation between treatment adherence and weight-loss outcome in the behavioral treatment of obesity.

Method: 272 women (mean+/-SD age=59.4+/-6.

The contributions of weight loss and increased physical fitness to improvements in health-related quality of life.

The relative contribution of obesity versus poor fitness to adverse health outcomes and diminished quality of life remains an area of controversy. Indeed, some researchers contend that poor cardiorespiratory fitness represents a greater threat to health and health-related quality of life than excess body weight. We addressed this issue by providing 298 obese 50-75 year-old women with a six-month lifestyle intervention that incorporated a low-calorie eating pattern coupled with an aerobic exercise program consisting of 30 min/day of brisk walking.