Promising outcomes at 12 months from a weight loss intervention supplement to cardiac rehabilitation and diabetes education for people who are overweight and obese — The Association Specialists
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Promising outcomes at 12 months from a weight loss intervention supplement to cardiac rehabilitation and diabetes education for people who are overweight and obese (379)

Robyn Gallagher 1 , Ann Kirkness 2 , Caryn Kneale 3
  1. University of Technology Sydney, Broadway, NSW, Australia
  2. North Shore Cardiovascular Education Centre, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW , Australia
  3. Diabetes Education Service, Royal North Shore Hospital, Sydney, NSW, Australia

Introduction: Achieving and sustaining a healthy weight is important for people with coronary heart disease and/or type 2 diabetes. The Healthy Eating and Exercise Lifestyle Program (HEELP), has proven short-term benefits for weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and exercise outcomes at 4 month but long term results have not yet been reported.

Methods: Patients with BMI 27-39 kg/m2 were recruited following CR and DE and undertook the HEELP active phase (16-weeks of group-based exercise, diet and behaviour change sessions) and maintenance phase (36-weeks of 1 group session and 3 follow-up telephone calls). Participants (n= 94, 70% retention) who completed did not differ from non completers.

Results: The sample was aged 63.66 years (SD 8.5) and 62% male. At the end of the active phase there were significant reductions in weight, BMI and waist and significant gains in exercise participation which despite slight regains were sustained at 12 months. (Table 1)
Clinically significant weight loss occurred for 22% at 4 months and 25% at 12 months.

Table 1. Weight, BMI, waist and exercise participation outcomes over time.

characteristic Baseline Post active phase
4 months Post maintenance phase
12 months F p
mean SD Mean SD Mean SD
Weight 87.93 14.17 85.47 13.92 86.31 14.7 15.87 <.001
BMI 30.9 3.0 30.04 3.09 30.27 3.26 17.63 <.001
Waist 107.31 9.21 104.39 9.57 105.23 9.66 27.38 <.001
Exercise frequency 4.24 2.49 5.33 2.51 4.69 2.67 4.79 .01
Exercise duration 193.51 151.95 323.43 225 265.45 196.64 10.61 <.001

Conclusion: HEELP is an effective supplement to CR and DR for achieving and sustaining weight for overweight and obese people.