Arch Intern Med
-
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Extended-care programs for weight management in rural communities: the treatment of obesity in underserved rural settings (TOURS) randomized trial.
Rural counties in the United States have higher rates of obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and associated chronic diseases than nonrural areas, yet the management of obesity in rural communities has received little attention from researchers. ⋯ Extended care delivered either by telephone or in face-to-face sessions improved the 1-year maintenance of lost weight compared with education alone. Telephone counseling constitutes an effective and cost-efficient option for long-term weight management. Delivering lifestyle interventions via the existing infrastructure of the Cooperative Extension Service represents a viable means of adapting research for rural communities with limited access to preventive health services. Trial Registration clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT00201006.