Deaf to Deaf Weight Loss Program Trial Results
Author: University of Rochester Medical Center
Published: 8 May 2023 - Updated: 11 Jul 2026
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed | Announcement
Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content
Synopsis
This peer reviewed research reports on a first of its kind randomized clinical trial from the University of Rochester Medical Center, published in the journal Obesity, that tested Deaf Weight Wise, a weight loss program built by and for Deaf sign language users through the National Center for Deaf Health Research and the local Deaf community. The findings carry authority because the program was delivered entirely in direct Deaf to Deaf communication by trained Deaf counselors rather than through interpreters, removing the language and cultural barriers that often make mainstream weight loss programs feel isolating or inaccessible, and the study demonstrated that participants achieved more than double the clinically meaningful weight loss of the control group over six months. For Deaf people, seniors, and others with disabilities who struggle to find health programs designed around their communication needs, the results offer a practical, evidence backed model showing how culturally and linguistically matched care can produce measurably better health outcomes.*At a Glance
- 1 - Participants earned Wise Bucks for keeping daily food and fitness diaries, redeemable for items like yoga mats, blenders, or lunch boxes.
- 2 - The trial enrolled 104 adults with a BMI between 25 and 45, with 48 starting right away and 56 acting as a delayed intervention control group.
- 3 - Since 2004 the National Center for Deaf Health Research has been the only CDC funded Prevention Research Center focused on Deaf sign language users and people with hearing loss. It sits within a network of 26 academic research centers nationwide.
Topic Definition
- Deaf to Deaf Health Program
A Deaf to Deaf health program is a health or wellness intervention designed, led, and delivered entirely by Deaf people for Deaf people, using direct sign language communication rather than spoken information relayed through hearing interpreters. The approach recognizes that Deaf sign language users are a cultural and linguistic community, not simply people who cannot hear, and that public health programs built for hearing audiences often exclude them through inaccessible language, missing social support, and content that ignores Deaf cultural norms. In practice, this means trained Deaf counselors present material, facilitate group sessions, and provide follow up support in the participants' native visual language, allowing information to flow naturally and letting participants share experiences and encourage one another without an interpreter in the middle. By matching both the language and the culture of those it serves, a Deaf to Deaf program aims to close longstanding gaps in health access and produce outcomes comparable to, or better than, those seen in mainstream programs.
Overview
"Deaf Weight Wise: A Novel Randomized Clinical Trial With Deaf Sign Language Users" - Obesity.
Shedding unwanted pounds can be hard for anyone, but may be especially difficult for Deaf sign language users who experience barriers to mainstream weight loss programs and the social support they offer. While those programs may feel isolating or out of reach, results from a University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC) clinical trial published in Obesity show that a specialized weight loss program designed for Deaf people by Deaf people helped participants lose weight.
Over six months, Deaf sign language users who participated in the program, called Deaf Weight Wise, lost an average of 12.5 pounds, and 62 percent of them lost at least five percent of their baseline weight, a level deemed "clinically meaningful."
On the other hand, Deaf sign language users in the control group only lost an average of 5 pounds during the same period and only 18 percent experienced clinically meaningful weight loss.
"Having a Deaf-to-Deaf approach, in which the information is culturally and linguistically available to participants, helped because it created a new community of awareness of health issues and taking steps to improve health," said study author Lori DeWindt, MA, a senior health project coordinator who is Deaf and has been a part of Deaf Weight Wise from its inception.
URMC's Rochester Prevention Research Center: National Center for Deaf Health Research (NCDHR) developed Deaf Weight Wise in partnership with the local Deaf community. Together, they adapted an existing evidence-based weight loss program for use with Deaf sign language users.
"Historically, public health research and programs are not accessible for the Deaf community," said Kelly Matthews, BSW, senior health project coordinator for the NCDHR and author of the study, who is Deaf. "NCDHR works together with communities to develop public health research, surveys, programs, and clinical trials that match the needs of Deaf communities."
NCDHR, which is part of the University of Rochester Clinical and Translational Science Institute, put the program to the test in a first-of-its-kind randomized clinical trial, which enrolled 104 adult Deaf sign language users living in the Rochester metropolitan area with a body mass index between 25 and 45. Of those 104 enrollees, 48 were randomly assigned to participate in Deaf Weight Wise right away, while 56 were assigned to participate in the program the following year, serving as a "delayed intervention" control group.
Deaf Weight Wise focused on lifestyle changes, like eating healthy and getting at least 150 minutes of exercise each week. The program aimed to help participants lose one-to-two pounds each week, which is widely accepted as a healthy and safe rate of weight loss.
The program kicked off with 16 weeks of weekly group meetings that were led by trained Deaf counselors and provided a space for social interaction and support as well as experiential learning.
"Deaf Weight Wise is very special and unique because we don't have any hearing people presenting. We have trained Deaf counselors who lead our sessions and work with the participants," said Earl Allen, BA, an NCDHR human subject research coordinator who is part of the Deaf Weight Wise team. "The information is not interpreted, but rather just straight Deaf-to-Deaf communication. Through that people are able to support each other and share experiences throughout the program."
During the initial 16-week phase, participants kept food and fitness diaries, tracking what they ate and how much they exercised. Participants earned "Wise Bucks" for completing their daily diary that could be cashed in for health-promoting items, like yoga mats, blenders, or lunch boxes.
Three and six months after the end of the initial program, participants had in-person check-ins with their Deaf Weight Wise counselor to weigh in, review diet and exercise habits, troubleshoot issues, set goals, and create action plans for long-term success. Counselors and participants also met regularly via email and videophone during this six-month follow-up phase to reinforce program lessons and provide support.
People seemed to love the program. It's normal to see a certain amount of dropout in clinical trials - and in mainstream weight loss programs, but DeWindt was surprised by the number of people who made it all the way through Deaf Weight Wise. She takes the program's high retention rate as a sign that their approach worked.
Allen, who is now a research coordinator for Deaf Weight Wise, is an example of a satisfied former participant.
"Deaf Weight Wise has a very special meaning to me personally," he said. "In 2018, I was a participant in Deaf Weight Wise and I learned a lot. Now, five years later as a research coordinator, I'm able to bring that perspective of both being a participant and now a coordinator and how we can continue to evolve this program."
Now, the NCDHR team is working to expand Deaf Weight Wise, testing it in a broader age range and geographical area. Eventually, they hope the program will be widely available and covered by insurance, similar to the CDC's National Diabetes Prevention Program.
Rochester Prevention Research Center: National Center for Deaf Health Research
Since 2004, the Rochester Prevention Research Center: National Center for Deaf Health Research has been continuously funded by the CDC Prevention Research Centers Program, a network of 26 academic research centers that study how communities can reduce the risk for chronic illness. The NCDHR is the only Prevention Research Center that focuses on the health of Deaf sign language users and people with hearing loss.
Frequently Asked Questions
NOTE: Researched FAQs by Disabled World (DW)
What does it mean when weight loss is called clinically meaningful?
Clinically meaningful weight loss generally refers to losing at least five percent of your starting body weight, a threshold linked to real improvements in health markers. At this level, people often see benefits such as better blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol readings.
Why is losing one to two pounds per week considered a safe rate?
Health experts widely regard one to two pounds per week as a sustainable pace that encourages fat loss while preserving muscle and reducing the risk of regaining weight. Faster loss can be harder to maintain and may signal loss of water or lean tissue rather than fat.
How does a videophone support a weight loss follow up program?
A videophone lets Deaf participants and counselors communicate directly in sign language over distance, making check ins and coaching accessible without an interpreter. This supports ongoing goal setting and encouragement during the months after the main program ends.
What barriers do Deaf people face in mainstream weight loss programs?
Mainstream programs are typically delivered in spoken English and rely on group support that may not be accessible to sign language users. Reliance on interpreters, missing captions, and content that overlooks Deaf culture can leave participants feeling isolated or unsupported.
Is 150 minutes of weekly exercise a standard health recommendation?
Yes, 150 minutes of moderate activity per week aligns with widely used public health guidelines for adults. Spreading this across the week, such as 30 minutes on most days, is a common and manageable way to meet the goal.
Can a culturally tailored health model be applied to other communities?
The Deaf to Deaf approach reflects a broader principle that health programs work better when matched to a community's language and culture. Similar tailored models have been used with various ethnic, linguistic, and disability communities to improve engagement and results.
Insights, Analysis, and Developments
Editorial Note: The quiet lesson of Deaf Weight Wise is that accessibility is not a courtesy bolted onto a program after the fact but the very thing that makes it work, since the same lifestyle advice about eating well and moving 150 minutes a week landed very differently once it arrived in a participant's own language from someone who shared their culture. It is telling that a former participant went on to become a research coordinator, carrying his lived experience back into the program he once joined, and that retention stayed high where dropout is usually the norm. As the team works to widen the age range and geography and hopes one day to see the program covered by insurance in the way the CDC's diabetes prevention effort is, the trial stands as a reminder that health equity is often less about inventing new science than about delivering proven science in a form the community can actually reach.*Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by University of Rochester Medical Center and published on 8 May 2023, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.
* Editorial additions by Ian C. Langtree.