Brief report: A randomized controlled trial examining peer support and behavioral weight loss treatment.
Peer support among adolescents has been positively associated with heath behaviors; however, enhancing peer support for weight loss has rarely been studied among adolescents. This study examined whether a peer support training component delivered to enhance a standard weight loss program led to improved outcomes. Forty-one overweight adolescent females were randomly assigned to a Standard or Enhanced Peer Support intervention. The Enhanced group received in person peer support skills training and practiced skills using social networking. At 16 weeks, participants in the Enhanced condition reported significantly increased perceptions of friend support. Both groups demonstrated significant weight loss (6.4 lbs, ± 8.3). Attendance and self-monitoring were associated with weight loss. Perceptions of peer support can be increased with a peer training component, but did not increase weight loss during the short term.
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, 358A Rosenau Hall, 135 Dauer Drive, Campus Box 7440, Chapel Hill 27599-7440, USA. Electronic address: ab7564@wayne.edu.
Noel
N
Kulik
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, 358A Rosenau Hall, 135 Dauer Drive, Campus Box 7440, Chapel Hill 27599-7440, USA. Electronic address: sennett@email.unc.edu.
Susan T
ST
Ennett
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Nutrition, 2202 McGavran-Greenberg Hl, 135 Dauer Drive, Campus Box 7461, Chapel Hill 27599-7461, USA. Electronic address: dsward@email.unc.edu.
Dianne S
DS
Ward
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, 309 Rosenau Hall, 135 Dauer Drive, Campus Box 7440, 27599-7440, USA. Electronic address: jbowling@email.unc.edu.
J Michael
JM
Bowling
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior, 336A Rosenau Hall, Campus Box 7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, USA. Electronic address: fishere@email.unc.edu.
Edwin B
EB
Fisher
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Gillings School of Global Public Health, Department of Health Behavior & Department of Nutrition, Rosenau Hall, 135 Dauer Drive, Campus Box 7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7440, USA. Electronic address: dtate@unc.edu.
Deborah F
DF
Tate
D000293:Adolescent; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010349:Patient Compliance / Q000523:psychology; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D010379:Peer Group; D060756:Social Networking; D012944:Social Support; D015431:Weight Loss; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs / Q000379:methods*
Adolescent; Intervention; Obesity; Peer support; Social support; Weight loss