A controlled weight loss intervention study among women of Somali background in Norway

Linn Bohler; Haakon E Meyer; Hein Stigum; Maria J Leirbakk; Danielle Cabral; Mia Charlott Wedegren; Eivind Andersen; Mark L Wieland; Ahmed A Madar

doi:10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100231

A controlled weight loss intervention study among women of Somali background in Norway

J Migr Health. 2024 May 4:9:100231. doi: 10.1016/j.jmh.2024.100231. eCollection 2024.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Community Medicine and Global Health, Institute of Health and Society, University of Oslo, PO Box 1130 Blindern, 0316 Oslo, Norway.
² Norwegian Institute of Public Health, 0213 Oslo, Norway.
³ Oslo Municipality, District Sagene, Vitaminveien 4, 0485 Oslo, Norway.
⁴ Oslo Municipality, District Gamle Oslo, Kolstadgata 1, 0652 Oslo, Norway.
⁵ Faculty of Humanities, Sports and Educational Science, Department of Sports, Physical Education and Outdoor Studies, University of South-Eastern Norway (USN), Post office box 4, 3199 Borre, Norway.
⁶ Center for Health Equity and Community Engagement Research, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN 55902, USA.
⁷ Division of Community Internal Medicine, Geriatrics, and Palliative Care, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55902, USA.

Abstract

Background: Women of Somali background in Norway have a high prevalence of overweight and obesity, compared with women in the general Norwegian population. For lifestyle interventions to be applicable for immigrants to Norway, it is important to culturally tailor interventions in collaboration with relevant communities. The primary outcome was a difference in weight change between the intervention and control groups.

Methods: In this interventional study, Somali women living in one borough of Oslo Municipality in Norway with body mass index (BMI) ≥27.0 kg^.m^-² received a co-created, culturally tailored 12-month weight loss intervention consisting of 24 interactive sessions during the first three months, and monthly sessions for the next nine months, compared to a control group. Both groups were measured at baseline and 12 months.

Results: A total of 169 participants were recruited, and 101 participants completed the follow-up. After multiple imputation, the mean difference in weight change adjusted for baseline weight, age, education, employment, marital status, number of children in the household and length of Norwegian residency was -1.6 kg (95 % CI -3.57, 0.43, p = 0.12) in the intervention compared to the control group.

Conclusion: This culturally tailored intervention study demonstrated a modest non-significant effect on weight change after 12 months, possibly due to the short intervention duration and COVID-19. Further studies of a longer duration and considering the provision of childcare are needed to understand whether this approach can be transferred to other immigrant groups and genders.Trial registration: The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT04578067, 2020-09-29.

Keywords: Body weight; Immigrants; Lifestyle; Obesity.

Associated data

ClinicalTrials.gov/NCT04578067