Weight Management 1

Weight Management

Weight Management Program Evaluation 2013-2014

Brittany Rowe
Johnson C. Smith University

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Introduction
On October 26, 2014, The Johnson C. Smith University HealthPlex opened on campus to
promote health and wellness in the community. The facility contains a fitness center equipped
with free motion fitness cardio and strength equipment, a multi-purpose room equipped with a
teaching kitchen. Yoga/ Pilates studio, wellness programs group exercise classes, locker rooms,
storage and offices. Johnson C. Smith University HealthPlex is a facility that is the center for
applied health research center and Wellness Department. The focus of the Johnson C. Smith
University HealthPlex is to assist faculty and staff in performing research in the field of health,
sport and human performance that benefits the University and surrounding community. Student
interns and student researchers are encouraged to become active participates in health
performance researchers to gain valuable experience that will enhance their academic career.
From the research conducted in the JCSU HealthPlex, wellness programming and initiatives
are designed that promote positive attitudes, healthy lifestyles, and self-care for the JCSU
campus and community. The Wellness Department gives staff, faculty and students of JCSU free
access to the facility and wellness programing. These different programs that are offered, reflect
and address the needs and concerns of JCSU campus and the surrounding community.
In 2011, the State of the County Report was published for Mecklenburg County. From this
report, nine priority health concerns were developed. The top priority concern was Prevention
of Chronic Disease and Disability through Health Behaviors. Reports from 2011, indicate that
in Charlotte approximately 64% of adults were overweight or obese and 24% reported to have no
physical exercise in the past month. Out of these reported rates, minority populations reported
seven times higher than Caucasians. When finding out these numbers, in fall 2012, the JCSU
HealthPlex conducted the beginning of a 12- week Weight Management program. This program

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emphasizes lifestyle change, which means health changes that participates can sustain long after
the program that can help maintain a healthier weight for the rest of their lives.
Weight management is a long-term approach to a healthy lifestyle. It includes a balance of
healthy eating and physical exercise to equate energy expenditure and energy intake. Developing
healthy eating habits while using tips that will keep us fuller longer can be useful tools in weight
management. Being overweight isnt just the number seen on the scale. The BMI (Body Mass
Index) of an individual plays a major role in controlling weight. According to the Centers of
Disease Control (2011) BMI is a number calculated from a persons weight and height. It
provides a reliable indicator of body fatness. In U.S. adults whose BMI measures 25.0.-29 kg
are categorized as overweight, 30.0-34.9 kg as mildly obese, 35.0-39.9 kg as moderately obese,
and >40.0 kg as extremely obese ( NASMHPD, 2008). Knowing your numbers can be used to
screen for weight categories that can lead to health problems. In the 2012 Behavioral Risk
Factor Surveillance Survey (BRFSS) 62.5% of Mecklenburg County residence reported and BMI
greater than 257. Nationally, one of three Americans (34.9%) is reported to be obese. Obesity is
having a BMI greater than 30.
Being obese can cause fatal health problems like Heart Disease and Diabetes. Heart Disease
is the leading cause of death in the United States. (CDC 2014) Heart Disease is caused by fatty
plaques in your arteries. The plaque builds up and thickens which makes the artery walls stiff,
making blood flow impossible. Heart Disease is found mostly in the overweight/ obese
population. The 2013 Mecklenburg County Summary Report; Chronic Disease Prevention (p.
15) explains that Heart Disease is the second leading cause of death in Mecklenburg County,
coming in at 968 deaths. When talking about Heart Disease in Mecklenburg County, the ratios
among African Americans and Caucasians really express how important it is to be on top of

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controlling your weight. For every one Caucasian death from heart disease, two African
Americans die from Heart Disease. (Age Adjusted Rates, NC 2007-2011 p. 15)
When it comes to fatal health problems due to being overweight, another large impact
that has a toll on the Mecklenburg County would be diabetes. Based off the same summary
report, there have been 148 deaths from Diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes is increasing and
poorly controlled diabetes is a leading cause of disability such as blindness and lower-limb
amputations. Being diagnosed with diabetes doubles the risk for stroke and heart disease. The
American Diabetes Association estimates that 50% of African Americans and Hispanics born
since 2000 will develop diabetes. These are key factors in knowing, since majority of the
Mecklenburg County are African Americans and Hispanics. For every one Caucasian death
from diabetes, three African Americans die from Heart Disease. (Age Adjusted Rates, NC
2007-2011 p. 15)
The causes of chronic health problems like Heart Disease and diabetes are based off the
individuals past and what theyre doing every in their everyday life. Weight control issues arise
when there is an imbalance. This develops when an individuals takes in more calories than they
utilize through physical activity. Most Americans do not get enough physical exercise and eat
too large of meals and do not know what portion control is. Several factors play a role in obesity
and overweight, including biological, behavioral, social, environmental and medical illness
(Stein & Colditz, 2004)
Genetics play a role in obesity and overweight, though the extent which genetics affects
weight is still unclear. Impaired brain function may contribute to difficulties with weight
management. Signaling pathways in the brain tell the body when to eat and when to stop eating.
(Zheng, Lenard & Berthoud, 2009). Even the slightest chemical imbalance in the brain can

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disrupt health signaling and result in weight gain. Also, people with behavior health conditions
are prescribed medications which can alter signal pathways and lead to weight gain.
The behavior factors play one of the biggest parts in weight gain. Lack of physical
activity as well as diet is important factors related to obesity and overweight. Time spent
watching TV or playing a video game while snacking can correlate with obesity in both children
and adults (Otten & Jones, 2009) Numerous studies report that the high prevalence of
overweight and obesity in people with behavioral health issues is due to lifestyles and highcaloric diets.
Social and environmental factors can impact individuals weight drastically. Some social
factors include poverty and lover levels of education have been linked to obesity. People with
little money tend to buy less expensive, high-calorie processed food rather than fruits and
vegetables. Environmental factors also place individuals at risk for overweight and obesity.
There are more fast food restaurants in low-income neighborhoods (CDC, 2010). These areas
are referred to as food deserts. They are called this because they are lacking access to
affordable foods that make up the full range of a healthy diet. People who live in food deserts
are less healthy, experience more health problems, and find it nearly impossible to manage their
weight.
Evaluation Goal
The goal of this evaluation is to determine the effectiveness of the Weight Management
program offered thru the Johnson C. Smith Universitys Health Plex. This evaluation will help
determine the programs effectiveness, and the retention issues given from participates starting in
fall 2012 until spring 2015. This particular program evaluation will be based off the framework
model. This model consists of six different steps. The first step of the evaluation cycle is

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engaging the stake holders. Stakeholders must be engaged to ensure that the perspectives are
understood. The stakeholders will decide the fate of the program based on the evaluation results.
The second step is describing the program. This step sets the frame of reference for all decisions
in the evaluation process. The program should be described in enough detail that the goals and
objectives are understood. The next step is focusing the evaluation design. This step involves
making sure the interest of the stakeholders are addressed. Some items to consider are stating
the reason and hypotheses of the program. The fourth step would be gathering credible
evidence. With this step evaluators decide on the source of evidence, the quality and quantity of
the evidence and how the evidence would be collected. This step involves a lot of coding, filing
and organizing the data. The fifth step would be justifying the conclusion. This step includes the
comparison of evidence. The final step of the model is ensuring use and sharing lessons learned.
This last step focuses on the use of the evaluation results. The step includes the evaluation
feedback from the stake holders. In order to improve the program the feedback of the
effectiveness is very important.

I.

Stakeholder Assessment

The individuals that are able to participate in the Weight Management program are; faculty
and students on the campus of Johnson C. Smith University along with people living within the
community. Out of these individuals, no student or faculty participated. There were a total of
seventy-five participates who started the program. Sixty-seven of these individuals were apart of
different church affiliated groups called Village HeartBEAT. The remaining 8 were medically
referred to Johnson C. Smith Universitys Health Plex by their doctor. There may be some
impact on people that surround the active participates based off their results. The primary users
of the evaluation would be the conductors of the program, who would be the workers in the

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Johnson C. Smith HealthePlex where the program is held. Some other users of the evaluation
could be other health related facilities like local YMCAs, the Charlotte Health Department, and
two different gyms that offer a weight management program; Golds Gym and Planet Fitness

II.

Describing the Program

Weight Management
Weight Management, when it was first introduced was a 12 week program that offers weight
loss assistance. Due to curtain retention issues, such as transportation, time and personal issues,
the program has been extended to 16 weeks. It is appropriate for all people of all weight ranges.
This program will help participates make changes in their eating practices, activity level, and
other behaviors related to weight control. The program emphasizes lifestyle change, which
means the program is going to help individuals make healthy changes that they can actually
sustain long after the completion of the program, helping you maintain a healthier weight for the
rest of their life. Weight Management promotes a gradual yet significant and long-lasting weight
loss. This Weight Management program is broken down into three stages with four weeks among
each stage:
Stage 1: Weight Loss Basics
Week 1: Weight Loss 101
Week 2: Nutrition Myth Busting
Week 3: Eat More, Weigh Less
Week 4: Get Moving The Basics of Physical Activity
Stage 2: Sharpening Your Weight Management Skills
Week 5: Overcoming an Overweight World
Week 6: Say Farewell to Dieting

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Week 7: Exercising for a Healthier You
Week 8: Grocery Store Shopping Trip
Stage 3: Long-Term Weight Management
Week 9: Healthy Cooking Demonstration
Week 10: Personalized Exercise Program
Week 11: Develop 14-Day Meal Plan
Week 12: Develop a 3 Month Personal Plan

The launch of the program, consisted of the first stage thats titled, Weight Loss Basics.
The first week is focused on getting to know the details about weight-loss. With week one,
participates will set up long term change and make small steps to get closer to their ideal
weight. While setting up their goals, a few fitness assessment components are taken
including their blood pressure, waist/hip ratio, weight and their BMI. These are very
important numbers to know when starting the weight management program. Week two is all
about the myths about nutrition. Correct dieting is a component with weight management.
In week three, more technology is introduced. Different apps on phones or tablets will be
described in order to control whats being eaten throughout the day. The final week in stage
one is an introduction to physical activity. This week some type of physical activity will be
placed daily or weekly on participates agenda.
Progressing on to stage number two, is all about sharpening your weight management
skills. The stage starts off with week five, which is an educational week about obesity and
overweight individuals around the world, different ages and race. Health problems due to
obesity and overweight are discussed also. In week six, interaction with the applications
used in the first step are explained in more detail. Week seven consist of a review of how the

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physical activity is coming along, also the proper form of curtain exercises are demonstrated.
Finally week eight is all about grocery shopping tips. Pointers are given about how to read
ingredient list, serving size and organic food.
The final stage of the program is putting everything that was taught from previous weeks
into a long-term weight management life style. Week nine, a local chef will demonstrate how
to cook a healthy recipe. In week ten a personalized exercise plan will be made explaining
the three different types of exercise; cardiorespiratory, resistance, and flexibility. Week 11 is
explaining how meal planning is vital. The final week consist of a three month personal plan
of dieting and physical activity. With this week final numbers are taken and a comparison
from the start of the program is made.
Target Population
The target population for the weight management program is men and woman aged 18-65
years old. These men and woman live in Mecklenburg County of Charlotte, North Carolina.
The majority of the races of these individuals are African American. This is the target population
for two reasons. One being that, the facility is only open to Johnson C Smith students and
faculty, along with Mecklenburg County residents. The significant reason being, that obesity is a
major concern in the Mecklenburg County community. The State of the County Health Report
states Among Mecklenburg County adults, 61% are overweight/obese. The target of this
weight management program is to help decrease that number. The program is also going to
target individuals based off the stakeholders numbers from the BMI scale. According to the
Centers of Disease Control (2011) BMI is a number calculated from a persons weight and
height. It provides a reliable indicator of body fatness. In U.S. adults whose BMI measures

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25.0.-29 kg are categorized as overweight, 30.0-34.9 kg as midly obese, 35.0-39.9 kg as
moderately obese, and >40.0 kg as extremely obese ( NASMHPD, 2008).
Objectives of the Program
The main objective is to create a healthier life style thru nutrition and physical activity. In

order to obtain this objective, the participates will create a MyFitness Pal account, that way they
can track the exercise their doing daily along with keeping a food diary of everything they eat
and drink. Another way participates will meet this objective would be tracking their weight,
body fat percent and BMI. Below is the chart they will keep to track their numbers each week
along with their goal.
Stage of Development
The developmental stages that this program is developed through are planning, implementation
and maintenance. In the planning stage come all the preparation, studying and gathering of the
requirements needed to complete the program. After the planning stage, the implantation stage comes in
play. Here the program will actually be broken down and tested into different weeks. Following the
implantation stage is the maintenance stage. This is the final stage of development, where the evaluation
takes place. The evaluation will happen through a series of survey questions given to the target audience
along with data collection from improved numbers after the program is finished with. After the data is
collected stats and coding will be taken into play and accurate numbers will show the result of the
program. This will indicate the improvements that can be changed with the program or the success of it.
Resources/Inputs
The resources/inputs for this Weight Management Program would first be what the instructor of
the program hands out for the week. Each week there are different handouts given determining the topic
of the week. Theres several charts, facts, and guidelines given to the participates. Week one includes

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getting the numbers; Blood Pressure, BMI, Weight and Waste to Hip Ratio. These numbers are key to
knowing, in order to see progress after the dieting and exercise takes place. Two other resources that are
used would be the food diary kept daily, and the physical activity log. These two are very important
inputs in the program because it tracks everything put in participates body along with what they are doing
physically to keep in shape. Myfitnesspal.com would be a helpful resource in order to track their food
diary easier.
Outputs/Outcomes
After the end of the program or even after each week, several outcomes can be established. Some
examples will be seeing results in eating better, exercising longer and numbers going down. The main
outcome would be the blood pressure number, the BMI number and the weight number of participates go
down. In order to see these numbers change for the good, the outputs from the program are broken down
into short-term, mid-term and long-term practices they take from the program. Every stakeholders shortterm and long-term can vary depending on how much improvement they want to see n a curtain amount
of time. Each stakeholders outcome maybe different due to surrounding and time management.
A short-term outcome for all stakeholders would be completing the weight management program
its self. There might be a target weight someone wants to achieve by the end of the program that can
categorized being a short-term goal. This goal would be reached by following the guidelines that week
offers, whether thats eating healthier, portion control or physical activity.
The long-term outcomes differ from each stakeholder. This is mainly based off of what kind of
change the individual wants to see happen for a long-period of time. Participates that are faculty or
students could make a long-term outcome of being physically active by coming to the HealPlex 3 times a
week for a year. This could generate a yearly mark and eventually lead to a constant habit in life forever.
For the community members that do not have the Healplex within walking distance could also make a
yearly mark and incorporate the portion control and good eating habits at home. For all the stakeholders,

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they will retain the information learned in the program and use it for change. Community participates
could have a successful long-term output, that could drastically change the demographic numbers with in
the community.

III.

Focusing the Evaluation Design

Stakeholder Needs
From the beginning, different groups of people were identified as the core users of the
evaluation findings. They will be using the findings in different ways and for different
purposes. The reason for the evaluation could be for future studies among different users.
The items the evaluators want to know will vary from the user of the program. The uses of
the items will be different as well. For the HealthPlex Employees they would need to know
if the program is working or not. The uses would be determined whether the program should
continue/how its present, ideas would be discussed also on if changes could improve the
program. The Health Department and local YMCAs would need to know the effectiveness
of the program, how to enhance or refined the program and the program break down. They
would use this information in order to provide the statistical numbers based off the
demographics. At the local YMCA, it would also be discussed if this is something they want
to be promoted and started. With the Community users of the program, feedback and inner
self questions on if they followed the program would be asked. The uses would be the
behavior changes will be kept when the program is over and provide a story to tell friends
and families on how the program went. The uses of the Community members can help have
an idea on how weight influences the community.
Weight- Management Program Hypothesis
Participants will be able to manage their weight and successfully adopt healthy lifestyle.

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Evaluation Questions
To determine if the program has been implemented as planned: For the individuals that
partook in the Weight-Management Program

Does this program promote healthy eating changes?

What changes, if any, would impact the program for a better purpose?
Would you complete the program again?
What did you like/dislike about the program?

To determine if the program is meeting its objectives:

Will you maintain good eating habits; correct portion size and physical activity?
What are key daily habits you have gained from the program?
What was the most difficult part about completing the program?
Does the program need to be offered more times a week?
Does the program need more faculty involved?
Does the needs of transportation need to be offered?

Evaluation Design
The evaluation team of the HealPlex employees will conduct a survey evaluating those
who participated in the program. The evaluation team will file, code and get the stats from
the numbers seen in participates. The team will discuss the information found from the start
of the program to the end and use statistics to determine the percentage of change in the
program. Having the stakeholders complete a survey of questions pertaining to meeting the
objective and the program its self, will give the evaluators and idea on what needs to be
improved, changed or kept the same.
Resource Consideration
Resource available for evaluation is limited. Manpower consists of work study and w.p.a
members who are devoted to teaching the program and give the time to evaluate when the

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program is competed. They will be provided with the statistics found from the program and
use it to their benefit. These records are available as existing data sources.
IV.

Gathering Credible Evidence: Data Collection

Indicators
The evaluation team will use the evaluation questions as the sources of evidence. With
these questions they will gain the quality and quantity of the program. The reasoning for
collecting the evidence will create the process of coding filing and cleaning of the
evidence/results from the program.
Data Collection
The data collected for the evidence was filled out worksheets given each week. These
worksheets/ fill in charts are important in tracking the data at the end of the program. The
data that will be collected will be the personal blood pressure, weight and BMI numbers of
participates. Results from the surveys will be coded down as well.
V.

Justifying Conclusions

Further information will be provided after correct statistical information is obtained.

VI.

Ensuring Use and Sharing Lessons Learned

Further information will be provided after correct statistical information is obtained.