title: Pilot study to determine interest of adult civilian dependents of active duty military personnel in participation in a weight control program.
abstract: Adult civilian dependents of active duty military personnel (ADMP) may play a central role in influencing the home food environment and the risk of overweight and obesity in American Warfighters and military families. However, there is no information on whether this group would be receptive to weight control programs. We conducted a survey to determine the level of interest of adult civilian dependents of ADMP in participating in a group weight control program. Subjects were a convenience sample of 191 adult civilian dependents of ADMP (94% women, 6% men) based in Massachusetts and aged 33.8 ± 8.4 years, body mass index 25.5 ± 5.5 kg/m(2). Overall, there was a significant effect of body mass index on interest in program participation (p = 0.004). Eighty five percent of overweight participants and 100% of obese participants reported being Moderately Likely or Very Likely to participate in a provided weight control program. In overweight and obese survey respondents there was no significant effect of ADMP rank on interest in program participation (p = 0.34). These findings suggest that overweight and obese adult civilian dependents of ADMP may be very receptive targets for programs to control overweight and obesity in military families.
authors.affiliation: Military Nutrition Division, USARIEM, 15 Kansas Street, Natick MA 01760.
authors.forename: Asma
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bukhari
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston MA 02111.
authors.forename: Susan B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Roberts
authors.affiliation: Military Nutrition Division, USARIEM, 15 Kansas Street, Natick MA 01760.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Military Nutrition Division, USARIEM, 15 Kansas Street, Natick MA 01760.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: McGraw
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston MA 02111.
authors.forename: Gerard E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Dallal
authors.affiliation: Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, Tufts University, 711 Washington Street, Boston MA 02111.
authors.forename: Sai Krupa
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Das
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult