Spouses shed more pounds together than alone

Date:
August 27, 2020
Source:
European Society of Cardiology
Summary:
Weight loss is most successful in heart attack survivors when
partners join in the effort to diet, according to new research.



FULL STORY ========================================================================== Weight loss is most successful in heart attack survivors when partners
join in the effort to diet, according to research presented today at
ESC Congress 2020.


========================================================================== "Lifestyle improvement after a heart attack is a crucial part of
preventing repeat events," said study author Ms. Lotte Verweij,
a registered nurse and PhD student, Amsterdam University of Applied
Sciences, the Netherlands. "Our study shows that when spouses join
the effort to change habits, patients have a better chance of becoming healthier -- particularly when it comes to losing weight." The RESPONSE-2 trial previously found that heart attack survivors referred to programmes
for weight reduction, physical activity, and smoking cessation were more
likely to modify behaviours compared to those receiving usual care. In
both groups, living with a partner was linked with greater success in
shifting bad habits. The most notable improvements were in patients who
took part in lifestyle programmes and lived with a partner.

This follow-up study investigated whether partner involvement in lifestyle programmes had an impact on behaviour change. "If partners contribute
to adopting healthy habits, it could become an important recommendation
to avoid recurrent heart attacks," explained Ms. Verweij.

A total of 824 patients were randomly assigned to the intervention group (lifestyle programmes on top of usual care) or control group (usual
care alone).

This analysis focused on the 411 patients in the intervention group, who
were referred to up to three lifestyle programmes for weight reduction, physical activity, and smoking cessation depending on their needs and preferences.

Partners could attend for free and nurses encouraged them to participate.

Partner participation was defined as attending at least once.



========================================================================== Nearly half (48%) of partners participated in the lifestyle interventions.

Compared to those without a partner, patients with a participating partner
were more than twice as likely (odds ratio 2.45) to improve in at least
one of the three areas (weight loss, exercise, smoking cessation) within
a year.

When the influence of partners was analysed on the three areas separately, patients with a participating partner were most successful in reducing
weight compared to patients without a partner (odds ratio 2.71).

"Patients with partners who joined the weight loss programme lost
more weight compared to patients with a partner who did not join the programme," said Ms.

Verweij.

She continued: "Couples often have comparable lifestyles and changing
habits is difficult when only one person is making the effort. Practical
issues come into play, such as grocery shopping, but also psychological challenges, where a supportive partner may help maintain motivation."
Ms. Verweij noted that the study did not find more improvement in smoking cessation or physical activity when partners actively participated. "These lifestyle issues might be more subject to individual motivation and persistence, but this hypothesis needs more investigation," she said.

Note: Three lifestyle programmeswere used in their existing format:
1) Weight loss: weekly group sessions with a Weight Watchers coach for
one year.

2) Physical activity: accelerometer to measure activity and an online
coach for personalised feedback for one year (Philips Direct Life).

3) Smoking cessation: motivational interviewing by telephone by trained professionals from Luchtsignaal for three months plus prescription of
nicotine replacement or varenicline therapy as appropriate.


========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by European_Society_of_Cardiology. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


==========================================================================


Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200827101837.htm

--- up 3 days, 6 hours, 50 minutes
* Origin: -=> Castle Rock BBS <=- Now Husky HPT Powered! (1337:3/111)