November 08, 2023
DENVER — A primary care-based lifestyle course in Appalachia has been found to improve several health behaviors, according to research presented at the American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s annual meeting. The course, called “Finding Wellness,” is a free, group-based lifestyle intervention program that includes weekly targeted lessons for 8 weeks.
The researchers, led by Joshua J. Moore, MD, a family medicine resident at West Virginia University (WVU), evaluated the effectiveness of the program in improving health outcomes over time. They included 375 participants in the study, measuring their A1C and BMI before and after the program, as well as collecting data on eating patterns, exercise, sleep, and overall health through health habit surveys.
The results showed significant improvements in several areas. Participants reported an increase in overall perceived health status from 61% to 74% by the end of the course. The BMI of all participants decreased from 37.01 to 36.16, and for those with diabetes, it dropped from 39.16 to 36.83. The proportion of participants who said they would never participate in stretching decreased from 61.5% to 32.4%, and those who said they would never participate in exercise decreased from 26.6% to 11.3%. Additionally, there were decreases in the percentage of participants who reported never eating fruits and vegetables (from 8% to 3%) and those who were unaware of their food’s calorie content (from 27% to 7%).
The researchers emphasized the importance of lifestyle interventions in improving health outcomes and treating chronic medical conditions. They noted that the course focused solely on lifestyle changes and did not include education on medications. The positive results of the study suggest that lifestyle interventions can produce significant and sustained results over time.
However, the study also found that there were no significant changes in sleep habits or the number of participants engaging in strength training exercises. The researchers concluded that updates to the course may be necessary to address these areas.
Overall, the study highlights the effectiveness of lifestyle interventions in improving health behaviors and outcomes. The researchers are now offering the course through Zoom to make it more accessible to people throughout the region. The findings suggest that similar programs could be implemented in other areas to promote healthier lifestyles and prevent chronic conditions.
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