Columbia, Missouri (July 7, 2016) - The Lesbian and bisexual women have compared higher rates of obesity, smoking and stress their heterose...
Columbia, Missouri (July 7, 2016) - The Lesbian and bisexual women have compared higher rates of obesity, smoking and stress their heterosexual counterparts, according to the Ministry of Health and Human Services US office women's health.
To solve this problem, a researcher at the University of Missouri took to develop the first national study healthy weight programs for lesbian and bisexual communities. Eighty percent of study participants achieved the health goals that are relevant to the prevention of obesity is essential, as identified by the Division of the National Academy of Science, Technology and Medical Health and Medicine.
"Previous studies have shown that lesbians and bisexuals settings, experiences and sensitivities in weight compared to heterosexual women," said Jane McElroy, Ph.D., associate professor in the Department of Family and professor of community medicine at the University of Missouri School of Medicine, the lead author of the study.
McElroy also serves as Principal Investigator of "Living Out to be active", created one of five programs in the studio.
"Unlike other weight loss programs, this study focus has not on weight loss as the primary goal of the intervention," McElroy said. "Instead, the goal was to motivate participants to achieve certain changes that could improve your health lifestyle."
The changes include minutes of physical activity, increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables, reduce the consumption of sugary drinks and alcohol, and to improve the overall quality of life of lesbians and bisexual women.
The study enrolled 266 participants in pilot programs, which took place in Missouri, California, New York and Washington, DC. Each program recorded lesbians and bisexual women over 40 are overweight. The participants attended weekly group meetings, nutritional education and physical activity.
The five pilot programs were developed based on feedback from focus groups of lesbians and bisexual women. Each program uses either a pedometer, a gym or pay attention and focus the participants to help achieve healthy habits. Participants completed after intervention previous surveys and to measure progress to achieve the goals.
The main results of the study:
- More than 95 percent of the participants achieved at national level, at least one of the health of the National Academy of Sciences identified targets, technology and medicine, with 58 percent to achieve three or more.
- Nearly 60 percent of the participants have their weekly minutes of physical activity increased by 20 percent.
- Forty percent of participants reduced their alcohol and sugary drinks in two halves.
- Twenty-nine percent of participants decreased their waist shares up 5 percent.
- Participants who have registered for Mindfulness or pedometer programs were more willing to increase their total minutes of physical activity by 20 percent and gymnastics group were more likely to experience a decline of 5 percent compared Size- height.
McElroy said that the results of this study encourage other communities to develop appropriate measures, lesbians and bisexual women in achieving an active and healthy life that they want to support.
The study "Healthy Weight lesbian and bisexual women: the fight for a healthy Community", was funded by the Department of Health and Human Services of the United States Bureau of Women's Health.
Eight articles on the study "Weight lesbians and bisexual women in good health: fight for a healthy community", published in the supplement health problems July / August Women Women's Health is the official journal of the Institute of Health Jacobs Women. It is based on the Milken Institute School of Public Health at George Washington University. the researchers have no conflicts of interest to declare in this study.
The study is the result of collaboration between the University of Missouri and NORC at the University of Chicago. NORC at the University of Chicago is an independent research institute, which reliable data and rigorous analysis provides programmatic critical decisions, political and economic leadership.
McElroy cited self-assessments before and left intervention as a possible restriction of the elevations of the study of nature.
Healthy weight programs and locations:
- Are for us (DIFO) - California Berkeley, El Cerrito, San Francisco, Santa Rosa and Sebastopol
- Living Out, an active life (LOLA) - Missouri: Columbia and St. Louis
- Evident by our vitality (Move) - Maryland and the District of Columbia Silver Spring and Washington, DC
- Strong, healthy, full of energy (SHE) - New York
- Health care for women (ZAS) - California Berkeley and San Francisco
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