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ASSOCIATION BETWEEN INDICATORS OF INEQUALITY AND WEIGHT REGAIN FOLLOWING A BEHAVIOURAL WEIGHT LOSS INTERVENTION

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Type

Article

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Authors

Mueller, Julia 
Sharp, Stephen 
Griffin, Simon 
Kelly, Michael 

Abstract

Introduction: Weight loss through behavioural weight management interventions can have important health benefits for people with obesity. However, to maximise the health benefits, weight lost must be maintained. Evidence suggests that behavioural weight loss interventions do not exacerbate inequalities in the short-term. However, no study has yet considered whether inequalities exist in long-term weight change following intervention. We aimed to investigate if there are inequalities in weight change following weight loss intervention. Methods: We conducted a cohort analysis of data from the Weight Loss Referrals for Adults in Primary Care (WRAP) trial (N=1267). WRAP randomised participants to receive a brief intervention information booklet or vouchers for 12-weeks or 52-weeks of WW (formerly Weight Watchers) and followed them for 5-years. Multiple linear regression estimated the association between exposures (indicators of inequality) and outcome (change in weight between 1- and 5-years). Each model was adjusted for intervention group, baseline weight, weight change between baseline and 1-year, research centre, and source of the 5-year weight data. Results: Of the 1267 participants in WRAP, 708 had weight change data available. Mean weight change between 1- and 5-years was +3.30 kg (SD 9.10 kg). A 1 year difference in age at baseline was associated with weight change of 0.11kg ((95%CI 0.06, 0.16), p<0.001). We did not find evidence of associations between ethnicity, gender, education, indices of multiple deprivation, household income, or other family members participating in a weight loss programme and weight change. Conclusion: Except for age, we did not find evidence of inequalities in weight change following a behavioural intervention. Findings further support the use of behavioural weight management interventions as part of a systems wide approach to improving population health.

Description

Keywords

32 Biomedical and Clinical Sciences, 3210 Nutrition and Dietetics, 44 Human Society, Nutrition, Obesity, Prevention, 10 Reduced Inequalities

Journal Title

JOURNAL OF EPIDEMIOLOGY AND COMMUNITY HEALTH

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0143-005X
1470-2738

Volume Title

Publisher

BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
Sponsorship
Department of Health (via National Institute for Health Research (NIHR)) (RP-PG-0216-20010)
MRC (MC_UU_00006/6)
Five-year follow up of the WRAP trial was funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) under its Programme Grants for Applied Research Programme (RP-PG-0216-20010). The WRAP trial was funded by the National Prevention Research Initiative through research grant MR/J000493. Jack M Birch, Amy L Ahern, Simon J Griffin, and Stephen J Sharp are supported by the Medical Research Council (MRC) (Grant MC_UU_00006/6). The University of Cambridge has received salary support in respect of Simon J Griffin from the National Health Service in the East of England through the Clinical Academic Reserve. This work is funded by UKRI grant MC_UU_00006/6. For the purpose of open access, the author has applied a Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) licence to any Author Accepted Manuscript version arising. Jason CG Halford is currently supported by research funding from Horizon 2020 and the American Beverage Association via University of Liverpool.