Men and women from the Okanagan region of British
Columbia were referred by medical professionals from
diabetes education programs, renal health clinics, and
family physicians due to diagnoses of obesity along
with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or renal disease.
Following are additional inclusion criteria used in this
study: (i) age ≥18 years, (ii) no participation in a
regular exercise program in the previous year, and (iii)
medical clearance from their physician. Participants
provided written informed consent, and a review of
this process was completed by the Interior Health
Authority of British Columbia. Moreover, a review of
ethical principles to ensure compliance with the
Declaration of Helsinki was completed. The
participant group was composed of 58 women (i.e.,
63%) and 34 men (i.e., 37%) with a mean age of
59.4±12.4 years and a mean body mass index (BMI)
of 35.2±6.1 kg/m2
. Moreover, the group had the
following racial/ethnic composition: 93% Caucasian,
3% Aboriginal, and 4% of other racial/ethnic groups.
Most participants had yearly incomes in the range of
$20,000 to $50,000, and 49% and 39% graduated from
secondary and post-secondary school, respectively.
Based on international standards, 66% and 22% of the
participants had blood glucose results that were in the
diabetes range and pre-diabetes range, respectively
(17), and 30% met the criteria for hypertension (18).