Strong, healthy, energized: Striving for a healthy weight in an older lesbian population

• Published in: Journal of women & aging Vol. 29; no. 3; pp. 230 - 242
• Main Authors: Tomisek, Ashley, Flinn, Brendan, Balsky, Tanya, Gruman, Cindy, Rizer, Allison M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Routledge 04.05.2017; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Aged; Aging; Aspiration; Behavior Therapy - methods; Bisexuality; Body Weight; Exercise - psychology; Female; Females; Gays & lesbians; Health Behavior; Health problems; Health risk assessment; healthy weight; Humans; lesbian and bisexual women; Lesbianism; Middle Aged; Nutrition; obesity; Older people; Patient Outcome Assessment; Sexual and Gender Minorities; Stress; Weight Reduction Programs - methods; Women's Health; Womens health; Aging; healthy weight; obesity; lesbian and bisexual women
• ISSN: 0895-2841; 1540-7322
• DOI: 10.1080/08952841.2015.1137436

The Office on Women's Health funded five pilot healthy weight intervention studies for lesbian and bisexual (LB) women, which included a program called Strong. Healthy. Energized (SHE). SHE was a 12-session program, targeted toward LB women age 60 and older, which focused on exercise, including a pedometer to track steps; nutrition; stress management; and group discussions. The program enrolled 39 participants. Waist circumference decreased by 3.7% across the group (p < .01). Participants with the lowest one-third baseline step count saw a marked step increase. This intervention was effective in improving health behaviors and short-term health outcomes for older LB women.