Date of Conferral

8-19-2026

Date of Award

August 2026

Degree

Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP)

School

Nursing

Advisor

Tracy Andrews

Abstract

Obesity is a major public health concern that affects millions of adults. As a chronic, progressive disease, obesity increases the risk of developing several medical conditions. Although evidence-based clinical practice guidelines recommend comprehensive lifestyle modification as a first-line treatment, implementation of structured lifestyle counseling in primary care remains inconsistent. The practice-focused question guiding this Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) quality improvement project was: Among obese adults aged 18–65 years in a private primary care setting, does implementing a structured lifestyle counseling program improve body weight and body mass index (BMI) outcomes over an 11-week period? An organizational change process guided implementation of the intervention through stakeholder engagement, staff education, workflow integration, and sustainability planning. Pre- and post-intervention data were collected using participant surveys and objective clinical measures, including body weight and BMI. Descriptive statistics were used to evaluate changes following implementation. Implementation of the structured lifestyle counseling program resulted in improved weight management outcomes. Participants experienced an overall reduction in body weight, and the mean BMI decreased from 35.0 kg/m² at baseline to 33.5 kg/m² after the 11-week intervention, representing a 4.3% reduction. Increased patient engagement in healthy lifestyle behaviors and improved self-management skills were also found. Major deliverables included a standardized lifestyle counseling protocol, staff education materials, patient education resources, and an organizational change implementation plan.

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