Carolyn Taylor

Carolyn’s research focuses on weight management for people with spinal cord injury (SCI), a group at increased risk of obesity and related health issues. In her research, Weight management for those with low energy requirements. A systematic review and qualitative synthesis of weight management interventions for people with spinal cord injury, she examined the effectiveness of interventions for people with SCI and synthesised the experiences of both patients and healthcare professionals.

Key findings from her review:

• Moderate weight loss was achieved on average, but only about a third of participants reached clinically meaningful weight loss (≥5%).
• Interventions included behavioural, nutritional, and exercise education, as well as pharmaceutical approaches.
• The results highlight the need for improved, tailored interventions for this population.

Weight management for those with low energy requirements. A systematic review and qualitative synthesis of weight management interventions for people with spinal cord injury

Abstract:

Below is the summary of the Systematic review:

People with spinal cord injury (SCI) are at greater risk of developing obesity and related co-morbidities than those without SCI. The objectives of this systematic review were to examine the effectiveness of weight management interventions for people with SCI and to synthesize the experiences of people involved with SCI weight management (e.g., SCI healthcare professionals and caregivers). Five databases were searched (up to July 31, 2023) and 5,491 potentially eligible articles were identified. Following screening, 22 articles were included, comprising 562 adults. There was considerable heterogeneity in study design and weight loss interventions included behavioral nutritional and exercise education sessions, recalling food diaries, exercise interventions, and pharmaceuticals. The mean percentage change of the pooled body mass data equated to −4.0 ± 2.3%, with a range from −0.5 to −7.6%. In addition, 38% of the individuals with SCI who completed a weight loss intervention (N = 262) had a ≥5% reduction in body weight. Collectively, although on average the included interventions led to moderate weight loss, the finding that just over a third of individuals achieved clinically meaningful 5% weight loss suggests that available interventions for this population may need to be improved. Following on from this I then wrote an article for the Journal of Community Nursing looking at energy expenditure in SCI.