Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less

An Evidence-Based Practice

Description

In 2001, the North Carolina Division of Public Health launched its Eat Smart, Move More North Carolina campaign as an obesity prevention effort in a state with more than 2 million overweight or obese adults. In 2006, the Eat Smart, Move More, Weigh Less (ESMMWL) program was developed to provide accessible weight management interventions to underserved populations. Local instructors design their own courses, but all programs across the state focus on evidence-based eating and physical activity behaviors for managing weight.

ESMMWL is a 15-week program. Participants meet weekly for one-hour online courses that highlight a different behavior for maintaining a healthy lifestyle and weight. Live instructors discuss the relevance of the weekly topic for weight loss and maintenance, methods for adopting the practice, strategies for getting family members involved, and suggestions for living mindfully. Participants are encouraged to share stories and are given time to assess their own body weight in privacy. Each session includes a 3-5 minute physical activity break.

Goal / Mission

To reverse the rising tide of obesity and chronic disease among North Carolinians by helping them to eat smart, move more and achieve a healthy weight.

Impact

ESMMWL teaches healthy lifestyle behaviors surround diet and exercise so that participants may incorporate them into their lives in a sustained manner and sustain weight loss.

Results / Accomplishments

A pilot study of the ESMMWL program was conducted from January 2008 to June 2009. Overall, 79 instructors taught 101 ESMMWL courses in 48 counties. Of the 1,162 participants who completed the course, 83% of participants reported they had moved toward or attained their initial goals, 92% reported an increase in their confidence to eat healthfully, and 82% reported an increase in their confidence to be physically active. The ESMMWL participants also demonstrated significant (p<0.001) physical health improvements: on average, participants lost 8.4 pounds and decreased their waist circumference by 1.7 inches.

About this Promising Practice

Organization(s)
North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Division of Public Health
Primary Contact
Carolyn Dunn, PhD, RD
919.515.9142
pcdunn@ncsu.edu
Topics
Health / Physical Activity
Health / Wellness & Lifestyle
Organization(s)
North Carolina State University and the North Carolina Division of Public Health
Source
CDC: Preventing Chronic Disease
Date of publication
Jul 2011
Date of implementation
2006
Location
North Carolina
For more details
http://esmmweighless.com/
http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2011/jul/10_0160.htm

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An Evidence-Based Practice meets the following HCI criteria:

  1. The program description includes at a minimum: the sponsoring organization, program goals, program implementation steps, and outcomes that have demonstrated program success in achieving the program goal in one or more localities.
  2. The results from an evaluation of the program include quantitative measures showing improvement in the outcome(s) of interest after the implementation of the program (i.e. increase in smoking cessation, not just the delivery of a smoking cessation program). The outcome measure(s) is/are compared at relevant time periods before and after the intervention or program implementation. Alternatively, the evaluation study compares the outcome(s) between an intervention group and an appropriate control group.
  3. The study is of peer-review quality and presents numbers in a scientific manner; measurements of precision and reliability are included (e.g. confidence intervals, standard errors), results from statistical tests show a significant difference or change in the outcome measure(s), and relevant point estimates and p-values are presented. Note: if the results from an evaluation of a program are presented in a scientific manner and the outcome measure is improved compared to the baseline measurement or the control group but the difference is not statistically significant, the practice is classified as effective and not evidence-based.