The Look AHEAD study: a description of the lifestyle intervention and the evidence supporting it.

Full Abstract

The Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study is a multicenter, randomized controlled trial designed to determine whether intentional weight loss reduces cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in overweight individuals with type 2 diabetes. The study began in 2001 and is scheduled to conclude in 2012. A total of 5145 participants have been randomly assigned to a lifestyle intervention or to an enhanced usual care condition (i.e., diabetes support and education). This article describes the lifestyle intervention and the empirical evidence to support it. The two principal intervention goals are to induce a mean loss >or = 7% of initial weight and to increase participants' moderately intense physical activity to > or =175 min/wk. For the first 6 months, participants attend one individual and three group sessions per month and are encouraged to replace two meals and one snack a day with liquid shakes and meal bars. From months 7 to 12, they attend one individual and two group meetings per month and continue to replace one meal per day (which is recommended for the study's duration). Starting at month 7, more intensive behavioral interventions and weight loss medication are available from a toolbox, designed to help participants with limited weight loss. In Years 2 to 4, treatment is provided mainly on an individual basis and includes at least one on-site visit per month and a second contact by telephone, mail, or e-mail. After Year 4, participants are offered monthly individual visits. The intervention is delivered by a multidisciplinary team that includes medical staff who monitor participants at risk of hypoglycemic episodes.

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Author information

Author/s: Look AHEAD Research Group; Wadden, Thomas A (TA); West, Delia Smith (DS); Delahanty, Linda (L); Jakicic, John (J); Rejeski, Jack (J); Williamson, Don (D); Berkowitz, Robert I (RI); Kelley, David E (DE); Tomchee, Christine (C); Hill, James O (JO); Kumanyika, Shiriki (S);

Affiliation: University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA [corrected]

Grants: DK 046204 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK56990 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK56992 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57002 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57008 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57078 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57131 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57135 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57136 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57149 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57151 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57154 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57171 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57177 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57178 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57182 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; DK57219 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS) ; M01 RR000056 44 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS) ; M01 RR00051 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS) ; M01-RR-02719 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS) ; M01RR00211-40 (Agency:NCRR NIH HHS) ; P30 DK48520 (Agency:NIDDK NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.; Review

Journal: Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.) (Obesity (Silver Spring)), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2006-May; vol 14 (issue 5) : pp 737-52

Dates: Created 2006/07/20; Completed 2006/12/05; Revised 2008/01/21;

PMID: 16855180, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

Comments and Corrections

ErratumIn: Obesity (Silver Spring). 2007 May;15(5):1339. (Note: Wadden, Thomas A [added]; West, Delia Smith [added]; Delahanty, Linda [added]; Jakicic, John [added]; Rejeski, Jack [added]; Williamson, Don [added]; Berkowitz, Robert I [added]; Kelley, David E [added]; Tomchee, Christine [added]; Hill, James O [added]; Kumanyika, Shiriki [added])

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Cardiovascular Diseases - etiology; physiopathology; prevention & control
Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - complications
Exercise - physiology
Forecasting
Health Behavior
Health Promotion - methods; trends

Humans
Life Style
Multicenter Studies as Topic
Obesity - complications
Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic
Weight Loss - physiology

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