SAT-706 Initial results from a Healthy Weight Management Program at a Manhattan FQHC

Abstract Disclosure: R.G. Vaca: None. R. Shafer: None. Introduction: Obesity is a public health problem. A Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) in New York launched a Center for Healthy Weight Management Program (CHWM), in November 2023, under the supervision of an obesity fellowship trained physician and with participation of internal medicine resident physicians. Underlying research questions: What are the patient demographics/outcomes found 1 year after the first FQHC-based weight management program was launched? Does distance from clinic or patient demographics affect the number of visits to the CHWM? An overview of your experimental design or methodology: Retrospective chart review study. Major results: Of 167 visits, 147 (88%) were females. 53% identified as Hispanics, 24% as Black and 12% as White. Mean age was 46.14 (SD 14.06). At first visit, mean BMI was 37.74 (SD 8.41), weight was 225 lbs. (SD 57.62), A1c was 5.77% (SD 0.74), LDL was 105 mg/dL (SD 29.71). There was a mean of 2 visits (SD 1.34). 25% of the patients lived < 1 mile away, 50% were approximately 2 miles away and only 25% were further away than 4.4 miles from clinic. 3 month-follow up mean weight loss was -1.97 lbs. (p = 0.041), and mean BMI decrease was -0.29 (p = 0.047). Older patients followed up more often (p = <0.001). There was no relationship between initial BMI, weight, or number of visits with the distance from clinic (p = 3.20, p = 5.94, p = 3.87, respectively). An interpretation of the results and conclusions: We found that CHWM patients were mostly Hispanic females with class 2 obesity (BMI 35-39.9), most of them living within a 4.4-mile radius, and an early meaningful impact on weight and BMI.Although obesity correlates with lower patient satisfaction, we did not find a negative association between number of visits and elevated BMI, which could reflect patients’ appreciation of a weight management clinic. Distance to clinic could play an important role in adherence to weight management programs given that community members are more likely to be more active if there’s good neighborhood walkability and less perceived distance to cover, however, more research is needed to elucidate a clear association. Presentation: Saturday, July 12, 2025