Gender- and Culturally-Sensitive Weight Loss Intervention for Hispanic Males

October 30, 2017 updated by: University of Arizona

Feasibility of a Gender- and Culturally-Sensitive Weight Loss Intervention for Hispanic Males

The investigators propose to 1) assess the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a gender- and culturally-sensitive weight loss intervention in 48 overweight/obese Hispanic males ages 18-64 over 12 weeks; 2) assess participant characteristics and process measures related to the uptake of mobile-health (mHealth) technology in overweight/obese Hispanic males over 12 weeks; and 3) assess pathologic changes in the liver in Hispanic men enrolled in a 12-week weight loss intervention using a non-invasive MRI as a therapeutic response biomarker.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

In the U.S., Hispanic males have the highest rate of overweight and obesity when compared to males of other racial/ethnic groups placing them at greater risk for obesity-related disease. Yet, current literature is lacking to inform on best practices to engage Hispanic males in weight loss and/or to promote a successful weight loss trajectory. Without this information the health disparities associated with obesity and obesity-related chronic disease will continue. Evidence exists to support behavioral weight loss in reducing obesity-related health risks. There are limited data to suggest these programs are effective for men and no data to support the feasibility and effectiveness of these programs among Hispanic males despite this being the fastest growing and highest burdened group for obesity-related disease within the U.S. population. Using existing practice guidelines and evidence from recently completed in-depth qualitative interviews in overweight/obese Hispanic males, the investigators will test a novel intervention approach to address this gap in knowledge. The investigators propose to 1) assess the feasibility, acceptability and preliminary efficacy of a gender- and culturally-sensitive weight loss intervention in 48 overweight/obese Hispanic males ages 18-64 over 12 weeks; 2) assess participant characteristics and process measures related to the uptake of mobile-health (mHealth) technology in overweight/obese Hispanic males over 12 weeks; and 3) assess pathologic changes in the liver in Hispanic men enrolled in a 12-week weight loss intervention using a non-invasive MRI as a therapeutic response biomarker. This project will challenge current research paradigms for Hispanic males by testing a gender- and culturally-sensitive weight loss intervention and providing highly impactful formative research on the use of novel mHealth self-monitoring technologies to facilitate dietary/physical activity behavior changes. Given the Hispanic population is the fastest growing in the U.S., efforts to identify strategies to promote weight control among Hispanic males has potential to significantly impact public health. The expected outcome of the proposed project is the identification of feasible and appropriate weight loss intervention strategies to improve engagement and weight management in this vulnerable ethnic group.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

50

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • United States
    • Arizona
      • Tucson, Arizona, United States, 85714
        • University of Arizona Collaboratory for Metabolic Disease Prevention and Treatment

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

14 years to 60 years (Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • 18-64 years of age
  • BMI between 25 to 45.0 kg/m² (NOTE: The investigators elected to cap this at 45.0 kg/m² to minimize potential risks and to reduce the potential for obesity to limit exercise participation)
  • Ability to provide informed consent and health risk assessment prior to participation in this study
  • Speak, read, and write either English and/or Spanish

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Uncontrolled diabetes mellitus
  • History of bariatric surgery
  • Report medical condition or treatment for a medical condition that could affect body weight or ability to engage in structured physical activity that is consistent with the intervention for this study
  • Current congestive heart failure, angina, uncontrolled arrhythmia, or other symptoms indicative of an increased acute risk for a cardiovascular event
  • Resting systolic blood pressure of ≥150 mmHg or resting diastolic blood pressure of ≥90 mmHg
  • Eating disorders that would contraindicate weight loss or physical activity
  • Alcohol or substance abuse
  • Currently treated for psychological issues (i.e. depression, bipolar disorder, etc.), taking psychotropic medications with the previous 12 months, or hospitalized for depression within the previous 5 years
  • Report exercise on ≥3 days per week for ≥ 20 minutes per day over the past 3 months
  • Report weight loss of ≥5% or participating in a weight reduction diet program in the past 3 months
  • Report plans to relocate to a location that limits their access to the study site or having employment, personal, or travel commitments that prohibit attendance to all of the scheduled assessments

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Intervention
Includes changing eating behaviors, increasing physical activity, and attending regular in-person weight loss meetings for 12 weeks. To support additional weight loss/weight maintenance, participants will receive bi-weekly phone calls across a 12 week follow-up.
Behavioral: Counseling sessions
During the first 12 weeks, intervention participants will attend weekly 30-45-minute individual counseling sessions guided by a trained bilingual Hispanic male lifestyle coach. Counseling sessions will be tailored to the needs of the participants (e.g., evening/weekend sessions, waiting/childcare area). After 12 weeks, intervention group participants will receive bi-weekly phone calls across a 12-week follow-up. Phone calls will last approximately 10 minutes in duration and study staff will follow a script to review current body weight, eating and activity behaviors, and specific barriers for weight loss/maintenance or diet/physical activity behaviors.
Other: Wait List Control
Wait-list control participants will not receive any intervention for the first 12 weeks. After 12 weeks, participants will receive the weight loss intervention plus mHealth technology support.
Behavioral: Wait List Control
After 12 weeks, the wait list control will receive the weight loss intervention plus mHealth technology support. It will include tailored, targeted text messaging and real-time self-monitoring support including beverage tracking cups, which provide the amount of calories users are consuming through beverages on a daily basis, and wearable activity monitors.Behavioral constructs used for the intervention group will be maintained during this intervention delivery thereby ensuring all participants have the appropriate tools to continue weight loss efforts regardless of mHealth use.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Study Recruitment: Interest in Participation
Time Frame: Baseline
The number of Hispanic men who contact the researchers and express interest in participation.
Baseline
Study Recruitment: Screened for Eligibility
Time Frame: Baseline
The number of Hispanic men screened for eligibility.
Baseline
Study Recruitment: Eligibility
Time Frame: Baseline
The number of Hispanic men eligible/ineligible for study inclusion and reason for ineligibility.
Baseline
Study Recruitment: Enrollment
Time Frame: Baseline
The number of Hispanic men enrolled in the study.
Baseline
Retention
Time Frame: Week 24
Retention will be measured as the number of participants who remain in the study at 24 weeks, divided by the number enrolled.
Week 24
Treatment Satisfaction/Acceptability
Time Frame: Week 24
Participants will be asked to rate their overall satisfaction with the intervention at 24 weeks and if they would recommend the program to others. Participants will also be asked questions regarding satisfaction with their overall progress and for changing dietary and PA habits, and weight
Week 24

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in body weight.
Time Frame: 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks
Body weight will be measured on a digital scale to assess change in body weight over the intervention period.
6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks
Change in physical activity
Time Frame: 6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks
A questionnaire will be used to measure and quantify energy expenditure from physical activity.
6, 12, 18, and 24 weeks
Change in dietary intake
Time Frame: 12 and 24 weeks
A questionnaire will be used to assess self-reported food intake. This will be used to estimate calories, dietary fat, protein, and carbohydrates used.
12 and 24 weeks
Change in liver fat content (intervention only)
Time Frame: 12 weeks
A non-invasive MRI will be used to assess changes in liver fat content for intervention participants at week 12.
12 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

University of Arizona

Investigators

  • Principal Investigator: David O. Garcia, PhD, University of Arizona

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

May 1, 2016

Primary Completion (Actual)

February 1, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

February 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

May 20, 2016

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

May 25, 2016

First Posted (Estimate)

May 26, 2016

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

November 1, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

October 30, 2017

Last Verified

October 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 1604536275

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Subscribe