The purpose of this study is to learn the best ways to support healthful behaviors and weight loss prior to pregnancy. Researchers are also interested in what motivates or prevents women of reproductive age from engaging in a structured weight loss program. Participants will be asked for no more than an hour of their time to complete a brief survey and participate in an interview. This study is being conducted by Harvard Pilgrim Health Care Institute. This study is being paid for by the Nutrition Obesity Research Center at Harvard (NORCH).
At the end of the interview, study staff will also talk to participants about the opportunity to be referred to the Mass General Weight Center if they are interested in participating in a program now being offered there.
If participants elect to participate in a program at the weight center, researchers would then like to complete 2 more short interviews with these participants about that process. The first will be about 5 minutes and will take place just after the initial Weight Center Orientation, and the last will be about 10 minutes and take place after 3 months of participation. During this final interview, researchers will ask for participant opinions about the program that they have just participated in.
