The Role of Supportive Counseling in Promoting Weight Loss and Enhancing Physical Fitness among Low Income Mexican American Women Enrolled in a Community Wellness Program

This study compared supportive group counseling (SGC) and individual counseling (SIC) in promoting weight loss in Mexican American women enrolled in a nutrition education/exercise program. 25 volunteers (20–49 y) were randomly assigned to either SGC or SIC. For 8 weeks, participants were offered 5 60‐min exercise sessions and 1 45‐min nutrition class/week providing lessons, snacks and recipes. Each week SGC attended 1 group counseling session, and SIC attended 1 private session. 16 (SGC, n=9; SIC, n=7) completed the program. Mann‐Whitney U tests revealed that change in resting heart rate (RHR) was significantly greater in SGC versus SIC. No other differences in pre‐post changes between the 2 groups were observed. Paired t‐tests revealed no change in RHR, waist circumference (WC), oxygen consumption (VO2max), hand grip strength or sit‐and‐reach (SNR) for SIC and no change in systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP), weight, body mass index (BMI), WC or hip circumference (HC) for SGC. However, a significant decrease in SBP, DBP, weight, BMI, and HC for SIC and in RHR for SGC (P < .05) and significant increase in push‐ups for SIC and in VO2max, hand grip, push‐ups, and SNR for SGC were observed (P < .05). Consequently, for purpose of efficient resource allocation, supportive group counseling may be a preferred modality when striving to promote weight loss with this population. Supported by HRSA Grant No. H59MC03806