Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Overweight is highly prevalent among cardiac rehabilitation (CR) participants. The purpose of this study was to assess the course of body weight change after an acute coronary event, from hospitalization through completion of CR.
METHODS: Body weight was measured inhospital at the time of admission for the index cardiac event (hospitalization), at CR entry, and at exit from CR.
RESULTS: The study population consisted of 181 patients who entered into outpatient CR and completed up to 36 sessions. The average age, weight, and body mass index at baseline were 65.2 +/- 10.9 years, 85.2 +/- 16.2 kg, and 29.6 +/- 4.4, respectively. Body weight decreased from hospitalization to CR entry (2.5 +/- 3.0 kg) and from CR entry to CR exit (2.4 +/- 4.3 kg) (P < .86). The mean total weight loss from hospitalization to CR exit was 4.8 +/- 4.8 kg. Forty-nine overweight individuals attended 4 behavioral weight loss sessions during CR. Compared with participants who did not, behavioral weight loss classes attendees lost more weight from hospital admission to CR exit (8.1 +/- 4.4 vs 3.6 +/- 4.4 kg) and during CR (5.6 +/- 4.1 vs 1.2 +/- 3.8 kg) (both, P < .0001).
CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac patients lose significant weight between hospitalization and CR entry. Nearly half of the total weight loss that patients experienced from hospitalization to CR exit occurred prior to CR entry. Overall, overweight individuals lose nearly 5 kg or 6% of their weight. Our results suggest that a behavioral weight loss intervention delivered through CR helps sustain weight loss observed during the early convalescence period prior to CR entry and promotes weight loss during CR.