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
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to The Boston GlobeÕs Health & Science pages, included the following
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