Translating the GLB to Promote Healthy Weight in People with Mobility Impairment

Katherine Froehlich-Grobe, PhD, Principal Investigator, University of Texas School of Public Health. (Funded 2014-2017)  People with mobility impairments remain underserved by public health efforts to address weight loss and effective lifestyle interventions are lacking. This is despite a higher prevalence of obesity and greater burden of obesity-related chronic conditions among people with disabilities, including a four times higher rate of diabetes. People with mobility impairments are also less physically active than those without disability and report being less likely to receive exercise counseling. Evidence that lifestyle intervention can lower risk for type 2 diabetes through weight loss and increasing physical activity (PA) has been demonstrated by the mainstream Diabetes Prevention Program. The Group Lifestyle Balance (GLB) program, a direct adaptation of the DPP lifestyle intervention for group delivery in the community, has been shown to be effective in lowering weight and increasing PA in multiple community settings; however, it has not been used specifically for those with mobility impairment. The purpose of this study is to 1) adapt this evidence-based behavioral intervention for those with mobility impairment and 2) evaluate the intervention for usability, feasibility, and effectiveness in this population. The proposed study builds upon existing clinical interventions that we previously conducted for those with mobility impairments and includes community based participatory research to guide our efforts in adapting the Group Lifestyle Balance Program.