Women's Health Project for Women Wanting to Lose Weight

Intervention Study in Women Wanting to Lose Weight (Women's Health Project)

The prevalence of obesity has steadily increased in the United States. This can lead to the worsening of type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, sleep apnea, coronary artery disease and osteoarthritis. The medical management of obesity involves dietary counseling and education, behavioral counseling with goal setting, and exercise. Patients with short sleep periods in the range of 5 to 7 hours per night are often heavier than normal sleepers even after controlling for other factors. We hypothesize that the addition of focused counseling on healthy sleeping to counseling on healthy eating (dieting) and healthy exercise can help women lose weight.

None needed

Inclusion Criteria:

• Any woman between the ages of 18 and 70 who is interested in counseling for weight loss
• The body mass index (BMI) must be over 25 (overweight category) and below 40 (morbidly obese)

Exclusion Criteria:

• Women who cannot reasonably expect to commit the time needed for 6 visits, two lab draws, and completion of three one week sleep logs
• Women who have had recent hospitalization or major surgery and cannot participate in a self directed exercise program
• Women with significant cardiac or respiratory disease and cannot participate in a self directed exercise program