RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Can the power of sport help men with overweight/obesity improve their health through a tailored healthy lifestyle program?
JF The Annals of Family Medicine
JO Ann Fam Med
FD American Academy of Family Physicians
SP 4898
DO 10.1370/afm.22.s1.4898
VO 21
IS Supplement 3
A1 Petrella, Robert
A1 Majoni, Melissa
A1 Kfrerer, Marisa
A1 Boa Sorte Silva, Narlon
A1 Riggin, Brendan
A1 Blunt, Wendy
A1 Gill, Dawn
A1 Bliss, Brooke
A1 Zou, Guangyong
A1 Aspinall, Paul
A1 Irwin, Jennifer
YR 2023
UL http://www.annfammed.org/content/21/Supplement_3/4898.abstract
AB Context: In Canada and the U.S., a greater proportion of men (vs. women) have overweight or obesity. Despite this, men are underrepresented in weight loss research and fewer are recruited into weight loss services.Objective: To determine whether participants who received an innovative gender-sensitized healthy lifestyle program (Hockey Fans in Training: Hockey FIT) would have greater weight loss and reduced waist circumference (WC), after 3 and 12 months, compared with a wait-list control group.Study Design and Analysis: Cluster randomized controlled trial whereby 42 sites were randomly assigned to either the intervention (i.e., Hockey FIT) or a wait-list control group (i.e., usual activities for 12 months). Analyses were conducted using linear mixed effects models for cluster design and repeated measures.Setting: Sites in Canada and the U.S. were selected based on availability/interest of both a local major junior/professional hockey team and a community implementation partner (e.g., YMCA).Population Studied: Men aged 35-65 years with a body mass index (BMI) ≥27 kg/m2, recruited primarily through the hockey team’s social media and email communications.Intervention: Hockey FIT is an office, group-based program, designed to appeal to hockey fans through support from their local team and is grounded in men’s preferences (e.g., competition, humour). During the 3-month active phase, participants attended 12 weekly, 90-minute sessions incorporating both education and exercise, and led by certified coaches. During the 9-month minimally-supported phase, participants were encouraged to sustain their health behaviour changes.Outcome Measures: In-person assessments were completed at baseline, 3 and 12 months, and included measurements of weight, height, and WC.Results: Participants (n=997) averaged 48.6 years of age (± 8.3 SD) and had mean baseline BMI values of 35.3 kg/m2 (± 6.1). By 3 months, participants in the Hockey FIT group lost 2.50 kg more (95% CI -3.36 to -1.64, p<0.0001) than the wait-list control group, and by 12 months this difference between groups remained (-1.61 kg, 95% CI: -2.55 to -0.67, p=0.001). Similarly, Hockey FIT led to greater WC reduction at both 3 and 12 months, compared with the wait-list control group.Conclusions: A gender-sensitized healthy lifestyle program for men, using the power of sport as an engagement strategy, had a positive impact on both short and long-term weight-related outcomes.