Evaluating Buttabean Motivation’s From the Couch programme: a Pacific community-based approach to health and wellbeing among adults with obesity

From the Couch (FTC) is a 12-week weight loss programme designed for people who are challenged in getting up from a sitting position or standing for long periods of time due to extreme obesity. FTC is described as ‘a lifestyle support programme held 3 times per week at the Buttabean Motivation (BBM) Head Quarters in Manukau’ Auckland. The sessions are 40-minutes in duration and include specifically designed physical exercises, as well as nutrition and mental wellbeing support. The aim is to get people off the couch, moving their body, and to build confidence to progress into other exercise programmes provided at BBM. Class sizes are limited to 20 people and are run by the founder of BBM who is a qualified Level-4 Personal Trainer (PT), NZ Qualifications Authority accredited. Participants agree to undergo a health screen before and tests after the programme. These include measures of blood pressure, diabetes risk, respiratory/cardiovascular rate, and body weight measurements. Measurements are carried out by trained BBM staff and study staff. Acceptance into FTC is not formally described but is determined by a visual body size weight-for-height assessment (all participants must be over 100 kilograms), blood pressure (must get GP sign-off if BP is 160/90 or above), and not engaging in any weekly physical exercise. Formal registration (on-boarding) into FTC is required and is done through the BBM website. The sessions are closed groups and there is no cost to attend. During the 12-week programme, participants are added to BBM's From the Couch Facebook support chat group where BBM staff can provide motivation and nutrition support. Participants can access free fruit and vegetables that are made available through BBM's foodbank. FTC participants may go on to participate in other free BBM programmes or classes. If so, participation in those other programmes require registration (booking) and sign-in for attendance. These participants will be tracked similarly to the participants in the General programme study ACTRN12621000931875p. For this study, participants will be observed for a period of 24-months. BBM members who choose not to participate in this observational study are still able to enrol in the FTC program. Participation involves 10-15mins of physical measurements and a survey questionnaire to be administered at baseline and 24 months. Extra physical measurements will be collected at 12-weeks, 6-months and 24-months after baseline. As well as physical measurements, data to be collected include a survey which includes demographic information (eg gender, date of birth, ethnicity), length of time engaged with BBM, an indigenous health and wellbeing scale, and diagnosis of health conditions (eg hypertension, diabetes, sleep apnoea, heart disease). Medical records will be requested from participants' health provider at baseline, 12-months and 24-months after baseline. Existing data that BBM hold on registration and frequency of participation in health programs will be obtained at 24-months.