Socio-demographic, Behavioral, and Biological Variables Related to Weight Loss in Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders
Author(s)
Joseph Keawe’aimoku Kaholokula, Claire K.M. Townsend, Arlene Ige, Ka‘;imi A. Sinclair, Marjorie K. Mau, Anne Leake, Donna-Marie Palakiko, Sheryl R. Yoshimura, Puni Kekauoha6 and Claire Hughes
Publication
Obesity Journal
Abstract
Objective: Native Hawaiians and other Pacific Islanders (NHs/PIs) have a high obesity prevalence compared to other ethnic groups. We examined socio-demographic, behavioral, and biological factors related to 3% weight loss in 100 overweight/obese NHs/PIs who completed a lifestyle intervention.
Design and Methods: Data were from 56 Native Hawaiians, 22 Chuukese, and 22 Other Pacific Islanders who participated in a randomized controlled trial of the Partnership for Improving Lifestyle Intervention (PILI) ‘Ohana Project. All completed a 3-month weight loss program (WLP) to initiate weight loss and were then randomized into either a 6-month family/community focused WLP called the PILI Lifestyle Program (PLP; n ¼ 49) or a standard behavior WLP (SBP; n ¼ 51). We collected baseline, 3- and 9-month follow-up data on socio-demographics, weight (kg), a 6 min. walk test, dietary fat, exercise frequency, and blood pressure.
Results and Conclusion: Based on ANCOVA or logistic fit, ethnicity, sex, initial weight loss, fat in diet at baseline, change in systolic blood pressure, and intervention type were significantly associated (P .05) with 3% weight loss at 9-month follow-up. A logistic regression model indicated that Chuukese (OR ¼ 6.04; CI ¼ 1.14–32.17) and participants who had more weight loss in the first 3-months (OR ¼ 1.47; CI ¼ 1.22–1.86) and who were in the PLP (OR ¼ 4.50; CI ¼ 1.50–15.14) were more likely to achieve 3% weight loss [model; v2 (7, N ¼ 100) ¼ 45.50, P < .0001]. The same lifestyle intervention does not benefit all NHs/PIs equally, possibly due to differences in acculturation status and social support. The findings also point to the importance of initial weight loss to sustain motivation toward long-term weight loss maintenance.
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