| The study compared two weight control programs and a chronic disease prevention program in a community hospital in Fayetteville, Arkansas. These programs consisted of a behavioral, diet, and exercise based weight control program, Lighten Up; an exercise based weight control program, the Center for Exercise; and the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program. The study assessed differences among adults participating in the three programs in eating self-efficacy (confidence in controlling overeating), intentions and disincentives to adopt healthy eating practices, health locus of control, and self-esteem. The study also examined differences among participants in the Lighten Up and Center for Exercise Programs in weight loss and loss in percentage of body fat. A quasi-experimental design was utilized with a pretest, posttest, and 5-month follow-up. The convenience sample consisted of 70 adults participating in the Lighten Up, Center for Exercise, and Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs. The findings indicated that there was a significant difference among participants in the Lighten Up, Center for Exercise, and Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs in overall scores on the Eating Self-Efficacy Scale (ESES) for the pretest, posttest, and 5-month follow-up. Participants in the Cardiac Rehabilitation Program had greater eating self-efficacy than participants in the Lighten Up and Center for Exercise Programs. No significant difference was found in the effects of the three programs on scores for the ESES, Intentions and Disincentives Scales, Health Locus of Control and Perlow Self-Esteem Scales (PSES) over time on the pretest/posttest/5-month follow-up comparison of data. There was no significant difference among participants in the Lighten Up and Center for Exercise Programs in weight and fat loss. A significant difference was found among participants in the Lighten Up Program in the pretest and posttest scores on the ESES, Socially Acceptable Circumstances subscale; Intentions and Disincentives Scales (Disincentives Scale, also significant for the pretest/5-month follow-up comparison of data); PSES; and body fat percentage. Program participants changed in the desired direction for these variables. Findings from the study can be used to improve the weight control and chronic disease prevention programs in this study. |
