Community-Based Mentoring for Weight Loss

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Mayo Clinic

Disqualifiers: Pregnancy, Serious medical conditions, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to explore how community support can help people adopt healthier habits to tackle obesity and reduce heart disease risks. Participants will join sessions that offer community-based mentoring and education, either starting immediately or after 12 months. The study seeks Hispanic or Somali individuals who are part of an existing social network in Southeast Minnesota and are interested in engaging with the program. As an unphased trial, this study offers a unique opportunity to contribute to community health initiatives and receive support in adopting healthier habits.

Do I need to stop taking my current medications to join the trial?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It is best to discuss this with the trial coordinators or your doctor.

What prior data suggests that community-based mentoring and education sessions are safe for weight loss?

Research has shown that community-based mentoring and education sessions are generally safe and well-tolerated. In past studies, these programs have helped people lose weight and improve their health without major safety issues. For instance, a study with 60 overweight students found that a coaching program significantly reduced body fat and improved their overall health. Another study demonstrated that participants in a similar program lost weight and improved their blood sugar and cholesterol levels.

These findings suggest that the sessions are safe and can offer health benefits without causing major side effects. While each program is different, existing research supports that these types of activities are usually low-risk and can effectively aid in weight loss and better health. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about community-based mentoring for weight loss because it offers a personalized, supportive approach that differs from traditional methods like diet plans and exercise programs. This method emphasizes human connection and peer support, making it potentially more sustainable and engaging for participants. By integrating education sessions and mentoring within the community, it aims to create lasting lifestyle changes and foster a supportive network, which could lead to more significant and enduring weight loss results.

What evidence suggests that community-based mentoring and education sessions could be effective for weight loss?

Research has shown that community-based mentoring and education sessions can help people lose weight and improve their health. In this trial, participants will be divided into two groups: one group will receive the community-based mentoring and education sessions immediately after enrollment, while the other group will receive the sessions approximately 12 months later. In one study with 90 participants, individuals lost a significant amount of weight and maintained it, resulting in better health, such as lower body weight. Another study found that mentors in a behavioral program lost nearly 20% of their weight over a year. Additionally, peer mentoring has been linked to increased physical activity among people who are overweight or obese. These findings suggest that community-based approaches can effectively support weight loss and enhance overall health. ^{1 2 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Mark Wieland, MD

Principal Investigator

Mayo Clinic

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for Hispanic or Somali immigrants in Southeast Minnesota who are willing to fully participate and consent. It's aimed at those with obesity or cardiovascular risk factors, but excludes pregnant individuals, those with serious conditions limiting physical activity, and normal-weight people from measurements.

Inclusion Criteria

You are part of a social group that was identified in a network analysis.

The participants in the study were willing to take part in all aspects of the research.

Provision of informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria

Even if you are not overweight, you can still participate in the study, but you will not be included in the measurements and analysis.

I have a condition that makes it hard for me to be physically active.

Pregnancy at the time of enrollment.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Immediate Community-Based Mentoring and Education Sessions

Subjects receive community-based mentoring and education sessions immediately after enrollment

12 months

Delayed Community-Based Mentoring and Education Sessions

Subjects receive community-based mentoring and education sessions approximately 12 months after enrollment

12 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for changes in health metrics such as BMI, blood pressure, and physical activity

12 months

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Community-based mentoring and education sessions

Trial Overview The study tests a program using community-based mentoring and education within social networks to promote weight loss and reduce cardiovascular risks among immigrant communities.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Immediate Community-Based Mentoring and Education Sessions Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subjects will receive the intervention of community-based mentoring and education sessions immediately after enrollment.

Group II: Delayed Community-Based Mentoring and Education Sessions Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

Subjects will receive the intervention of community-based mentoring and education sessions approximately 12 months after enrollment.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Mayo Clinic

Lead Sponsor

Trials

3,427

Recruited

3,221,000+

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Collaborator

Trials

473

Recruited

1,374,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

Community-based weight control programs can effectively reach and treat large numbers of obese individuals who might not seek professional help, achieving modest weight loss at lower costs compared to clinical interventions.

While these programs have not yet succeeded in reducing overall obesity rates in the general population, they show promise and warrant further research, particularly in recruitment strategies and preventing weight gain.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Minnesota studies on community-based approaches to weight loss and control. Jeffery, RW.[2019]

Physician involvement in weight loss programs can significantly improve outcomes, as even minimal contact may enhance success rates compared to unsupervised efforts.

Medical supervision is crucial for patients on very-low-calorie diets, those who are severely obese (BMI > 35), and individuals with other health issues, to ensure safety and monitor health during weight loss.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Comparison of medically supervised and unsupervised approaches to weight loss and control. Blackburn, GL.[2019]

A community-based weight-loss treatment program involving 90 participants led to significant weight loss and sustained health improvements, including reductions in waist circumference and cholesterol levels, over an 18-month period.

Participants maintained their weight loss without significant regain at follow-ups, demonstrating the effectiveness of the program in promoting long-term behavioral and psychological benefits for overweight and obese adults.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Community-based behavioral weight-loss treatment: long-term maintenance of weight loss, physiological, and psychological outcomes. Latner, JD., Ciao, AC., Wendicke, AU., et al.[2013]

A randomized control trial involving 60 obese students showed that a self-empowerment-based coaching program significantly reduced total body fat and improved healthy behavior habits compared to a control group.

The intervention group also reported greater improvements in satisfaction related to hobbies, exercise, sleep, and spiritual well-being, indicating a holistic benefit of the coaching approach in managing obesity.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The effectiveness of self-empowerment-based patient-centered care for obese students in primary services: A randomized controlled trial. Dewi, DK., Sekartini, R., Sunardi, D., et al.[2023]

A qualitative study involving 20 African American church members identified key components for a faith-based weight maintenance program, emphasizing the importance of accountability, support, and faith in achieving healthy lifestyle changes.

Integrating faith themes, such as scripture and prayer, into weight maintenance programs may enhance their effectiveness in promoting long-term health behavior changes among participants.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Developing culturally congruent weight maintenance programs for African American church members. Seale, JP., Fifield, J., Davis-Smith, YM., et al.[2022]

The community-academic advisory board (CAB) involved in developing a childhood obesity treatment program showed significant improvements in conflict resolution skills and trust among members, indicating effective collaboration in a medically underserved area.

Despite some positive changes, perceptions of participation and influence decreased significantly, suggesting a need to address engagement strategies in future community-academic partnerships.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

One-Year Mixed-Methods Case Study of a Community-Academic Advisory Board Addressing Childhood Obesity. Zoellner, J., Hill, JL., Brock, D., et al.[2020]

Citations

1. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7185163/

Efficacy of “Mentoring to Be Active” on Weight Loss, Body ... A meaningful effect on BMI reduction was not found. At initial follow-up, 72.3% of the MBA group reduced BMI, whereas 19.3% increased BMI. Similarly, 69.2% of ...

2. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/community-based-mentoring-for-weight-loss-409b0

Community-Based Mentoring for Weight Loss A community-based weight-loss treatment program involving 90 participants led to significant weight loss and sustained health improvements, including reductions ...

3. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3484232/

A randomized controlled pilot study testing three types ... Prior to beginning this study, Mentors had achieved an impressive weight loss of 19.9±5.5% in a 12-month behavioral weight loss program. However, they had ...

4. globalheartjournal.com globalheartjournal.com/articles/10.5334/gh.1268

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Examine the ... In conclusion, our study shows that peer mentoring was positively associated with increased physical activity levels among overweight and obese ...

5. withpower.com withpower.com/trial/phase-weight-loss-10-2021-7c5a9?lat=36.65114&lng=-97.3517

Community-Based Mentoring for Weight Loss · Info for Participants Research shows that community-based weight-loss programs can help people lose weight and keep it off over time. Participants in these programs experienced ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11279648/

Community-Based Participatory Obesity Prevention ... This paper reports the results of a scoping review investigating community-engaged research in obesity prevention programs tested with school-aged children in ...

7. frontiersin.org frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00225/full

Outcomes of Participation in a Community-Based Physical ... Both the raw data and the model-based estimates of TUG times demonstrated that as age and attendance increase, greater improvements in TUG times were observed.

8. researchgate.net researchgate.net/publication/7207294_Effect_of_a_Community-Based_Weight_Management_Program_on_Weight_Loss_and_Cardiovascular_Disease_Risk_Factors

Effect of a Community‐Based Weight Management ... Individuals completing the 6-month program averaged a weight loss of 7.3% in men and 4.7% in women. Fasting lipids and blood glucose improved in ...