title: Effectiveness of a worksite telephone-based weight management program.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Examine the long-term impact of a telephone-based weight management program among participants recruited from worksite settings.
  
  
  METHODS
  Pre/post quasi-experimental design comparing weight loss and related behaviors between program completers and noncompleters.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten large private-sector and public-sector employers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Overweight or obese participants (n  =  1298) enrolled in a telephone-based weight management program.
  
  
  METHODS
  Individually tailored telephone-based weight management coaching program that included up to five calls over a median of 250 days.
  
  
  METHODS
  Weight, body mass index, and lifestyle behaviors assessed via health risk assessment at baseline and 1-year follow-up.
  
  
  METHODS
  Chi-square and one-way analysis of variance procedures were used to assess between-group differences in weight and associated behaviors, with criterion for significance set at p < .05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among weight management program participants, 48% of program completers and 47% of noncompleters lost weight, but program completers averaged 2.6 times more weight loss than noncompleters. Improvements in physical activity, eating habits, and overall health status were reported for completers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The weight loss attained among participants who lost weight, along with the improvements in physical activity and nutrition practices, suggests that a telephone-based weight management program of modest intensity can have a positive impact on the health of obese or overweight worksite participants.
authors.affiliation: StayWell Health Management, Saint Paul, Minnesota 55121, USA.
authors.forename: Paul E
authors.initials: PE
authors.lastname: Terry
authors.forename: Erin L D
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Seaverson
authors.forename: Jessica
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Grossmeier
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Anderson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016272:Occupational Health; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D013689:Telephone; D015431:Weight Loss; D017132:Workplace