Road to Wellness

 

Thousands of participants in an international drug trial needed help. Most were obese. Many also lived with diabetes. Few had the tools to do so without guidance on how to eat well and boost their physical activity level.

 

The drug manufacturer and trial sponsor, Pfizer, Inc., wanted carefully researched and written educational materials that would assist these individuals in their quest to lose weight. The focus was on making positive changes to lifestyle habits by learning more about the benefits of a healthy diet and moderate exercise.

 

M.E. Malone developed step-by-step plans to be followed by participants over the course of a year-long trial. The material for each session was devoted to a new topic – ÒBe Active, Be Healthy,Ó ÒTrim Fat, Not Flavor,Ó ÒRestaurant Roulette,Ó and ÒMeal MakeoversÓ were among the offerings.

 

 

Working with physicians at Pfizer, she immersed herself in this project, culling material form the latest studies on dietary habits and daily exercise.

 

She also consulted with nutritionists from more than a dozen countries participating in the study to ensure that local foods and food preferences were incorporated into the materials as they were translated into several other languages.

 

 

 

 

 

Boston Globe Health & Science

 

Contributions to The Boston GlobeÕs Health & Science pages, included the following articles on the following news topics in health: