Strength Training for Obesity Prevention
Condition: Obesity
MeSH terms: Obesity
Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase 2

Summary: 
      Recent obesity prevalence increases have made obesity prevention a clear and pressing public
      health issue. The average US. woman gains about 0.5 kg per year. Overweight women aged 25 to
      44 have a higher prevalence of significant weight gains (BMI increases of > 5 kg/m2) than men
      or older or thinner women. The difficulty in successfully losing weight and maintaining
      weight loss has resulted in recommendations from several expert panels to advise overweight
      and mildly obese individuals free of co-morbidities to avoid weight gains rather than to lose
      weight. Physical activity is observed to decline with age while caloric intake remains stable
      or declines slightly. There is strong observational evidence that physical activity could
      prevent or attenuate age associated fat gains. This randomized, controlled behavioral
      intervention trial will test the hypothesis that regular participation in a twice weekly
      strength training program over 2 years, can prevent age associated body fat increases (total
      and abdominal fat) in 80 overweight to mildly obese premenopausal women between the ages of
      25 and 44 years, compared to a 'standard care' group (n=80). The overall aim of the study is
      to prevent body fat gains and to reduce health risks associated with obesity. Treatment
      effects will be assessed for insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, blood lipids, muscle
      strength, and psychosocial predictors of strength training adherence. The innovation of this
      approach rests in its simplicity and the minimal time requirement for full participation (2
      exercise sessions weekly). A preliminary study of this innovative approach resulted in 88%
      exercise session attendance over 12 months and maintenance of treatment effects on total body
      fat percentage to the end of pilot study measurements (9 months). This supports the
      feasibility and potential for long term efficacy of the proposed intervention approach. The
      long-term implication of success in this efficacy trial would be that this modest behavior
      change could prevent the fat gains and associated co-morbidities commonly observed in midlife
      women.
    

Detailed description: 
      Recent obesity prevalence increases have made obesity prevention a clear and pressing public
      health issue. The average US. woman gains about 0.5 kg per year, 60 to 80% of which can be
      assumed to be fat. Overweight women aged 25 to 44 have a higher prevalence of significant
      weight gains (BMI increases of > 5 kg/m2) than men or older or thinner women. Total and
      visceral abdominal fat gains are associated with a variety of obesity co-morbidities,
      including insulin resistance, hypertension, and dyslipidemia. The difficulty in successfully
      losing weight and maintaining weight loss has resulted in recommendations from several expert
      panels to advise overweight and mildly obese individuals free of co-morbidities to avoid
      weight gains rather than to lose weight. Physical activity is observed to decline with age
      while caloric intake remains stable or declines slightly. There is strong observational
      evidence that physical activity could prevent or attenuate age associated fat gains. This
      randomized, controlled behavioral intervention trial will test the hypothesis that regular
      participation in a twice weekly strength training program over 2 years, can prevent age
      associated body fat increases (total and visceral abdominal fat) in 80 overweight to mildly
      obese premenopausal women (BMI 25-35 kg/m2) between the ages of 25 and 44 years, compared to
      a 'standard care' group (n=80). The overall aim of the study is to prevent body fat gains and
      to reduce health risks associated with obesity. Treatment effects will be assessed for
      insulin sensitivity, blood pressure, blood lipids, muscle strength, and psychosocial
      predictors of strength training adherence. The innovation of this approach rests in its
      simplicity and the minimal time requirement for full participation (2 exercise sessions
      weekly). A preliminary study of this innovative approach resulted in 88% exercise session
      attendance over 12 months and maintenance of treatment effects on total body fat percentage
      to the end of pilot study measurements (9 months). This supports the feasibility and
      potential for long term efficacy of the proposed intervention approach. The long-term
      implication of success in this efficacy trial would be that this modest behavior change could
      prevent the fat gains and associated co-morbidities commonly observed in midlife women.
    

Intervention name(s): Strength Training
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: Obesity; Prevention; Exercise