Interventions-GoWoman

Women with mobility impairments have double the risk of obesity and more barriers for weight management than women without disabilities. While there are several well-known commercial weight management programs for women In the general public, there are currently no weight loss programs specifically designed for women living with disability.

• A 16-week program that combines nutrition and physical activity education
• Takes place in a supportive, small group, online, virtual reality-based setting (Second Life.com)
• A disability- and woman-sensitive adaptation of the Diabetes Prevention Program Lifestyle Intervention
• Funded by the National Institute of Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research

Participants in the GoWoman project aim to accomplish two goals: lose 5-7 percent of weight from weight at the start of the program and become more physically active more frequently during the week. Facilitators and group members will work together to help each participant reach personally set goals as well. Participants will also use a diet and activity log called MyFitnessPal (free on the internet) to track daily progress and changes throughout the program.

GoWoman helps participants learn by teaching:

• How to choose foods and exercises that are safe for your disability
• What makes it hard to maintain a healthy diet and be active
• How to develop healthier habits and make calories count
• How to maintain changes

For more information about the GoWoman Program, see the links below:

• Methods
• Curriculum
• Materials
• Results
• Second Life
• Blog
• Infographics
• Publications
• Project Team

The GoWoman program is currently funded by a grant from the National Institute for Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research in the US Department of Health and Human Services, "Development of a Virtual Reality Weight Management Intervention for Women with Mobility Impairments" (90IF0036), 2012-2016.