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Examining barriers, physical activity, and weight change among parents and nonparents in a weight loss intervention
Brooke T Nezami1, John M Jakicic2, Wei Lang3
1Department of Nutrition University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill North Carolina.
Insights
Having more children at home may hinder adult weight loss by increasing physical activity barriers and reducing moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). This impacts initial weight loss but not weight regain.
Area of Science:
- Behavioral science
- Obesity research
- Public health
Background:
- Limited understanding of how children at home affect adult weight loss interventions.
- Investigating the role of children in adult physical activity and weight management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the association between the number of children in the home and weight loss/regain in a behavioral intervention.
- To determine if physical activity barriers and changes mediate this association.
Main Methods:
- 267 participants from a randomized trial with complete data.
- Assessed physical activity barriers, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and weight at baseline, 6, and 18 months.
- Calculated percent weight loss (PWL) and percent weight regained (PWG).
Main Results:
- More children correlated with less PWL at 6 months.
- This was mediated by higher baseline barriers and less MVPA increase.
- Mediation effect disappeared when controlling for dietary changes.
- No association found between number of children and PWG from 6 to 18 months.
Conclusions:
- Parents may require tailored support to overcome physical activity barriers.
- Intervention strategies should address unique challenges faced by parents for effective weight loss.
Introduction:
Little is known about the influence of children in the home on physical activity and weight among adults in weight loss interventions. This study evaluated the association between number of children in the home, weight loss, and weight regain in a behavioural weight loss intervention, and whether those relationships were mediated in sequence by physical activity barriers and physical activity changes.
Methods:
The sample included 267 participants from a randomized trial who had complete data on study variables. Variables at baseline, 6, and 18 months included physical activity barriers, objectively measured minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), and objectively measured weight used to calculate percent weight loss (PWL) from baseline to 6 months and percent weight regained (PWG) from 6 to 18 months.
Results:
A greater number of children in the home was associated with less PWL at 6 months. This relationship was mediated by greater baseline physical activity barriers and a smaller increase in MVPA at 6 months. The mediated effect was no longer significant when controlling for changes in dietary intake. There was no relationship between number of children and PWG from 6 to 18 months.
Conclusions:
Parents may need unique intervention supports to overcome barriers to initiation of physical activity to help them reach optimal weight loss.
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