Impact of improving home environments on energy intake and physical activity: A randomized controlled trial

M.C. Kegler, R. Haardorfer, I.C. Alcantara, J.A. Gazmararian, J.K. Veluswamy, T.L. Hodge, A.R. Addison and J.A. Hotz

American Journal of Public Health, 2016, vol. 106, issue 1, 143-152

Abstract: Objectives.Weassessed the effectiveness of an intervention targeting home food and activity environments to reduce energy intake and increase physical activity among overweight and obese patients from 3 community health centers in rural Georgia. Methods. We conducted a randomized controlled trial (n = 349) from 2011 to 2013, with follow-up at 6 and 12 months. Health coaches delivered the 16-week intervention by using tailored home environment profiles showing areas in need of improvement and positive aspects of the home environment, behavioral contracts for healthy actions, and mailed support materials. Results. Participants were mostly African American women (84.8%), with a mean age of 50.2 years and a mean body mass index (weight in kilograms divided by the square of height in meters) of 38.3. Daily energy intake decreased more for the intervention than control group at 6 (-274 vs-69 kcal) and 12 months (-195 vs-76 kcal). We observed no change for either objective or self-reported physical activity. At 12 months, 82.6% of intervention participants had not gained weight compared with 71.4% of control participants. Conclusions. The intervention was effective in changing home environments and reducing energy intake.

Keywords: adult; African American; body mass; caloric intake; control group; controlled clinical trial; controlled study; female; follow up; height; home environment; human; major clinical study; normal human; physical activity; randomized controlled trial; accelerometry; aged; caloric intake; catering service; demography; environmental planning; Georgia; health; medical record; middle aged; motor activity; obesity; participatory research; physiologic monitoring; physiology; procedures; statistics and numerical data, Accelerometry; Adult; African Americans; Aged; Community-Based Participatory Research; Diet Records; Energy Intake; Environment Design; Female; Food Supply; Georgia; Humans; Middle Aged; Monitoring, Physiologic; Motor Activity; Obesity; Residence Characteristics; Rural Health (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2015.302942_2

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2015.302942

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