Top Spinal Cord Inj Rehabil, 2021 · DOI: 10.46292/sci20-00025 · Published: January 1, 2021
People with spinal cord injuries often struggle with obesity and related health problems. This study looked at what helps or hinders people with SCI from participating in and losing weight through a lifestyle program. The results showed that motivation, relationships, and confidence in healthy eating play a big role in their success.
Provide supplemented meals, meal plans, facilitated cooking, or a stepped approach to self-monitoring for participants with low initial self-efficacy.
Further attention to relationship issues, such as reducing burnout in caregivers and facilitating access to counseling, may be appropriate for SCI participants.
Monitoring participants’ motivation toward program goals throughout the 12-month intervention may provide additional insight into motivation change over time and facilitate timely, tailored implementation of strategies to enhance motivation.