title: Accessible weight loss: Adapting a lifestyle intervention for adults with impaired mobility.
abstract: Despite disparities in obesity between those with and without disability, there is limited evidence to guide weight loss intervention in people with impaired mobility (IM), particularly those with severe impairments.
  
  
  
  Examine the usability, feasibility, and effectiveness of adapting an existing evidence-based weight loss program for people with IM.
  
  
  
  In this single-group pre-test post-test pilot study, 10 overweight or obese individuals with permanent IM (e.g. spinal cord injury, spina bifida, osteoarthritis) participated in a 20-week modification of the DPP Group Lifestyle Balance™ (DPP GLB) program, a group-based adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). Fifteen conference calls encouraged reducing calorie and fat intake and increasing exercise through self-monitoring and problem solving. We defined feasibility as retention and engagement, usability as participants' program satisfaction ratings, and effectiveness as physiological and psychosocial change measured on three occasions over 20 weeks. Analytic methods included basic descriptive statistics (feasibility and usability) and repeated measures ANOVA (effectiveness).
  
  
  
  The program retained 70% of participants. These individuals attended an average of 79.3% of conference calls and self-monitored more than half of the weeks. Participants rated the program highly, with mean overall scores of 6.3 ± 0.3 and 6.2 ± 0.6 out of 7 on helpfulness and satisfaction scales, respectively. Program completers experienced a significant mean weight loss of 8.86 ± 8.37 kg (p = 0.024), or 7.4% of their start weight, and significantly reduced their BMI.
  
  
  
  An adapted version of the DPP GLB is a feasible, usable, and potentially effective intervention for promoting weight loss among persons with IM.
authors.affiliation: Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation, Dallas, TX, USA; Division of Health Promotion and Behavioral Sciences, University of Texas School of Public Health, Dallas Regional Campus, USA.
authors.forename: Andrea C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Betts
authors.affiliation: Baylor Institute for Rehabilitation, Dallas, TX, USA. Electronic address: Kfgrobe@bir-rehab.com.
authors.forename: Katherine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Froehlich-Grobe
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000517:prevention & control; D004032:Diet; D006233:Persons with Disabilities; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D066086:Health Services for Persons with Disabilities; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D051346:Mobility Limitation; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D010352:Patient Dropouts; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010865:Pilot Projects; D015397:Program Evaluation; D015431:Weight Loss; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs
keywords: Impaired mobility; Intervention; Obesity; Weight loss