Obesity Treatment Tailored for a Catholic Faith Community: A Feasibility Study.

Most faith-based obesity intervention research has been conducted in African-American Protestant churches. However, Catholic communities might also benefit from a faith-tailored approach. Overweight Catholic individuals (n = 34, 71% female) were randomized to a Catholic-tailored or standard behavioral 16-week group weight control program. Both conditions experienced significant weight losses (Catholic-tailored: -8.1 + 4.1%, Standard: -7.9 + 4.2%); however, treatment satisfaction was significantly greater in the Catholic-tailored program. The Catholic-tailored program experienced trends for greater attendance, more completed self-monitoring journals, and smaller weight regain six months post-treatment than the standard program. Catholic-tailored programs may represent a feasible, culturally acceptable and effective approach to weight loss/maintenance in this faith community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]