Effects of Weight Control Program on Dietary Habits and Blood Composition in Obese Middle-Aged Women

ABSTRACT

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of weight control program on dietary habits and blood composition in obese middle-aged women. The program consisted of nutrition education, physical exercise and nutrition counseling was conducted for 12 weeks. Participants of the preliminary study were 255 obese women, among which 82 women participated in the nutrition education program. We evaluated the anthropometry, blood lipid profiles, dietary habits of obese women before and after the nutrition education. Dietary habits of the subjects were significantly improved in regularity of having breakfast (p < .05), the frequency of eating snack after dinner (p < .001), eating out (p < .01) and the speed of meal (p < .05) after the program. There was significant decrease in total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL-cholesterol and systolic pressure of the subjects after nutrition education. Changes of atherogenic index and diastolic pressure were not significant, but had a tendency to decrease. All of the anthropometric outcomes except lean body mass such as BMI, percent body fat, fat mass, and WHR were significantly decreased after weight control program. These findings show that weight control program including nutrition education and counseling can improve dietary habits and weight control pattern, and lead the authors to recommend that public health organizations and dietetic professionals should educate obese women on practical strategies for an effective weight management.