Table 1.

Content Areas Addressed in the Focus Group Discussion Guide

Content Area	Sample Questions
Understanding of Metabolic Syndrome	Have you had a conversation with your doctor about metabolic syndrome?
What helped the person make a change in diet and physical activity	What happened that helped you realize you needed to change your lifestyle? What things are critical for a person who is just getting started on changing the way they eat and their lifestyle? We want to help people manage their weight. How would you recommend doing this? What kinds of tools do you need? We want to help people make healthy choices at the grocery store. What would help you do this?
What hindered individuals in making a change in their diet and physical activity	How did your family and friends influence (good or bad) your behavior? Share a story with us about a particular behavior that was a challenge for you to change (eating, exercise, meditation etc.). Share how you handled the change.
What hindered individuals in making a change in their diet and physical activity	What kinds of changes have you tried to make? Which ones were the most difficult? Did you continue to try to make the changes even if you didn’t succeed the first time you tried?
Previous knowledge/education about healthy eating and physical activity	What has been the most helpful learning experience for you in managing the way you eat and live? Sometimes people with high blood pressure are told by their physicians that they should make certain lifestyle changes such as increasing physical activity or changing eating habits. Tell us about any conversations that you have had with your doctor about lifestyle changes. We want to help people make healthy choices in their meal preparations or meals eaten out. What would be a good way to do this?