Partners In Weight Loss Success May Help African-Americans Shed More Pounds

Enrolling in a weight loss program with a family member or friend appears to enhance weight loss among African Americans, but only if the involved partner attends sessions frequently or also loses weight, according to a report in the October 26 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

Obesity and its cardiovascular complications affect many African Americans, according to background information in the article. Standard behavioral treatments for obesity appear to be less successful in African Americans than in whites. Cultural modifications to these standard programs — such as the inclusion of family members and support networks — may enhance their effectiveness.

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 Pictured: A female boxer trains in Miguel’s Gym in Brixton on August 13, 2009 (Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images)