title: Can a relatively low-intensity intervention by health professionals prevent weight gain in mid-age women? 12-Month outcomes of the 40-Something randomised controlled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Weight gain in perimenopausal women results in increased visceral adipose tissue, leading to metabolic syndrome and associated comorbidities. Despite a high prevalence of weight gain at this life stage, interventions to prevent menopausal obesity are lacking.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To test the effectiveness of an intervention delivered by health professionals using a motivational interviewing (MI) counselling style in preventing weight gain in non-obese (body mass index (BMI) 18.5 and 29.9 kg m(-2)) women in late premenopause.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a randomised controlled trial, 54 women (mean (s.d.) age 47.3 (1.8) years; BMI 25.1 (2.4) kg m(-2)) who had menstruated within the preceding 3 months were randomly assigned to an MI intervention (n=28) (five health professional MI counselling sessions) or a self-directed intervention (SDI) (print materials only) (n=26). The primary outcome, body weight (kg) and secondary outcomes (blood lipids, glucose, body fat %, lean mass % and waist circumference) were measured at baseline and postintervention (12 months), and intention-to-treat analysis was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Forty women completed all measures and adhered to all protocols. The weight at 12 months for the MI group of 65.6 kg (95% CI: 64.5; 66.8) was significantly different (P=0.034) from the SDI group of 67.4 kg (95% CI: 66.2; 68.6). When stratified by baseline BMI category, the MI group lost significantly more weight (-2.6 kg; 95% CI: -3.9; -1.2) than the SDI group (-0.1 kg; 95% CI: -1.2; 1.0, P=0.002) for the healthy weight women. The overweight women lost weight regardless of the intervention group, with no between-group difference (-3.5 kg; 95% CI: -6.1, -1.0 and -2.3; 95% CI: -4.1, -0.5, P=0.467).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This relatively low-intensity intervention, incorporating MI into health professional counselling, not only effectively prevented weight gain but also achieved significant weight loss and decreased diastolic blood pressure. Further refinements are required to optimise outcomes for overweight women.
authors.affiliation: 1] Nutrition and Dietetics, School of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Health, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, Australia [2] Nutrition and Dietetics, Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Bruce, ACT, Australia [3] School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: L T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia [2] Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Hollis
authors.affiliation: 1] School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health and Medicine, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia [2] Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: C E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Collins
authors.affiliation: 1] Priority Research Centre in Physical Activity and Nutrition, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia [2] School of Education, Faculty of Education and Arts, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Morgan