Semester

Fall

Date of Graduation

2010

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Type

PhD

College

School of Nursing

Department

Adult Health

Committee Chair

Irene Tessaro

Abstract

Objectives. This mixed-methods study was designed to examine sociodemographic, health-related lifestyle, quality of life, and social support factors associated with weight loss in women, and to describe the high points, low points and turning points in the stories of women who lost at least 5% of their baseline weight in the West Virginia WISEWOMAN study.;Methods. Using chi square tests and t-tests, data from the West Virginia WISEWOMAN study were used to compare the 67 women who successfully lost at least 5% of their baseline weight to the 334 women who stayed within 5% of their baseline weight. For the qualitative portion of the study, the story path method of collecting stories was used to gather the stories of women who were successful at weight loss. The high points, low points and turning points in their stories of losing weight were analyzed.;Results. The only significant finding in the quantitative portion of the study was in social support: women who lost weight had fewer friends and family they felt comfortable talking to than women whose weight stayed the same (X2 = 18.85; p = .001). For the qualitative portion of the study, 14 common elements were extrapolated from the high points, low points and turning points which described women's experiences with weight loss. Changes in well-being and view of self were found in the high points; low energy, challenging life circumstances, and variations in weight and eating patterns were revealed as low points; and turning points were described as meaningful moments when actions were taken to follow through with food choices and activity.;Conclusions. Nurses can assist clients with identifying and obtaining effective support, and help them overcome the low points of weight loss in order to follow through with long-term health behavior changes.

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