Role of social support in lifestyle-focused weight management interventions

Explanations for Unsuccessful Weight Loss Among Bariatric Surgery Candidates

“…Findings from a 32-year cohort study provide compelling evidence for the spread of obesity through social networks, possibly mediated by the adoption of norms for body weight and behavior [38]. Conversely, access to purposeful social support is directly correlated with the ability to lose weight and maintain weight loss [1,[39][40][41][42]. It is unlikely that our subjects were immune to the influence of the physical and social environment.…”

“…Predictor variables included gender, age (<35, [35][36][37][38][39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50][51][52][53][54], and ≥55 years), race/ethnicity (Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, and other), and initial body mass index (BMI; less than median and greater than or equal to median). We compared responders with nonresponders with respect to the predictor variables using Pearson chi-square test for independence (χ 2 ) with two-sided α<0.05.…”

Virtual small groups for weight management: an innovative delivery mechanism for evidence-based lifestyle interventions among obese men

“…Small group interventions have also been shown to be effective in promoting weight loss [8,9] and maintenance, and have the added advantage of being more costeffective [10]. Increasing social support [11][12][13] through small group interaction has proven to be equally or more effective than individual behavioral therapy for obesity [14]. A recent systematic review of studies that randomized obese participants to either a group or individual mode of weight loss treatment delivery concluded that group interventions were not only more effective, but may be more resource saving in terms of total health professional hours required per participant [14].…”

Seeking the balance between individual and community-based nutritional interventions

“…The level of social support experienced by an individual has been identified as an important predictor of the individual's potential to undergo lifestyle behavioural change (Verheijden et al, 2005a). Social support can be found at the level of an individual's family and friends, the workplace, social gathering points (clubs, community organizations, church, etc.)…”