Table 1.
Baseline Characteristics of the 41 Focus Group Participants*
| Characteristic | Number (%) |
|---|---|
| Age in years, mean ± SD | 48.8 ± 14.7 |
| Body mass index, mean ± SD | 36.3 ± 7.5 |
| Marital status | |
| Never married | 18 (43.9) |
| Married | 7 (17.1) |
| Divorced or widowed | 16 (39.0) |
| Living arrangements | |
| Alone | 8 (19.5) |
| With spouse or significant other | 8 (19.5) |
| With children | 18 (43.9) |
| Other | 4 (9.8) |
| Education | |
| Less than high school | 1 (2.4) |
| High school graduate or equivalent | 7 (17.1) |
| More than high school | 32 (78.0) |
| Income | |
| <$20,000 | 21 (51.2) |
| $20,000–$34,999 | 12 (29.3) |
| ≥$35,000 | 5 (12.2) |
| Self-rated health | |
| Poor | 1 (2.4) |
| Fair | 15 (36.6) |
| Good | 23 (56.1) |
| Excellent | 1 (2.4) |
| Knew someone having weight loss surgery | |
| Yes | 34 (85.0) |
| No | 6 (15.0) |
Because of missing cases, percentages may not all total 100.