AUTHOR=Xu Miao , Chattopadhyay Kaushik , Li Jialin , Rai Nanin , Chen Yanshu , Hu Fangfang , Chu Jianping , Li Li 

TITLE=Weight Management Programme for Overweight and Obese Adults in Ningbo, China: A Feasibility Pre- and Post-intervention Study

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Public Health

VOLUME=Volume 7 - 2019

YEAR=2019

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/public-health/articles/10.3389/fpubh.2019.00388

DOI=10.3389/fpubh.2019.00388

ISSN=2296-2565

ABSTRACT=Objective To investigate the feasibility of conducting a randomised controlled trial (RCT) of a weight management programme in Ningbo, China. 
Methods A pre- and post-intervention study was conducted in Ningbo. The study duration was from 01 July 2015 to 30 September 2017. Those aged 18-65 years of age, with a body mass index (BMI) of ≥24 kg/m2 (i.e., overweight/obese) and were willing to comply with the weight management programme were included in the study. The programme, focusing on lifestyle modification, was delivered by a multidisciplinary team over a period of three months. The study parameters were recruitment rate, follow-up rate at 3-month and 6-month and standard deviation (SD) of the outcome measure (i.e., BMI). 
Results Out of 261 people who gave written informed consent and were screened for eligibility, 193 (74%) were found eligible and were enrolled on to the programme. Those who enrolled on to the programme, 185 (96%) and 169 (88%) were followed up at 3-month and 6-month, respectively. The SD of the outcome measure was 4.85. BMI reduced at 3-month follow-up (-1.98, 95% CI -2.19 to -1.79, p<0.001) and at 6-month follow-up (-2.42, -2.71 to -2.11, <0.001). 
Conclusion Based on the promising recruitment and follow-up rates in this study, it would be feasible to undertake the RCT of the weight management programme for overweight and obese adults in Ningbo. The SD of the outcome measure is used to calculate the sample size of the RCT.