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Weight Loss Maintenance in African–American Women: Focus Group Results and Questionnaire Development

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Abstract

BACKGROUND

African-American women are disproportionately affected by obesity. Weight loss can occur, but maintenance is rare. Little is known about weight loss maintenance in African-American women.

OBJECTIVES

(1) To increase understanding of weight loss maintenance in African-American women; (2) to use the elicitation procedure from the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to define the constructs of attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control regarding weight loss and maintenance; and (3) to help develop a relevant questionnaire that can be used to explore weight loss and maintenance in a large sample of African Americans.

DESIGN

Seven focus groups were conducted with African-American women: four with women successful at weight loss maintenance, three with women who lost weight but regained it. Discussions centered on weight loss and maintenance experiences.

PARTICIPANTS

Thirty-seven African-American women.

APPROACH

Content analysis of focus group transcripts.

RESULTS

Weight loss maintainers lost 22% of body weight. They view positive support from others and active opposition to cultural norms as critical for maintenance. They struggle with weight regain, but have strategies in place to lose weight again. Some maintainers struggle with being perceived as sick or too thin at their new weight. Regainers and maintainers struggle with hairstyle management during exercise. The theoretical constructs from TPB were defined and supported by focus group content.

CONCLUSIONS

A weight loss questionnaire for African Americans should include questions regarding social support in weight maintenance, the importance of hair management during exercise, the influence of cultural norms on weight and food consumption, and concerns about being perceived as too thin or sick when weight is lost.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by grant no. 5 K08 DK064898 (Dr. Barnes) from the National Institute for Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.

Conflict of Interest

None disclosed.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Internal Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, 1504 Taub Loop, Houston, TX, 77030, USA

    Ann Smith Barnes MD

  2. Department of Family and Community Medicine, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA

    G. Kenneth Goodrick PhD, Valory Pavlik PhD, Jennifer Markesino BS & Donna Y. Laws EdD

  3. Center for Health Promotion and Prevention Research, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston, TX, USA

    Wendell C. Taylor PhD, MPH

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  1. Ann Smith Barnes MD
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Correspondence to Ann Smith Barnes MD.

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Barnes, A.S., Goodrick, G.K., Pavlik, V. et al. Weight Loss Maintenance in African–American Women: Focus Group Results and Questionnaire Development. J GEN INTERN MED 22, 915–922 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-007-0195-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11606-007-0195-3

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