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Can clinically significant weight loss be achieved and sustained? An evaluation of a general practice based weight control clinic
Author(s) -
Sleath
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of human nutrition and dietetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.951
H-Index - 70
eISSN - 1365-277X
pISSN - 0952-3871
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-277x.1999.00004.x
Subject(s) - medicine , weight loss , attendance , referral , general practice , physical therapy , retrospective cohort study , pediatrics , obesity , surgery , family medicine , economics , economic growth
Background and aims: An evaluation was carried out of a general practice based weight control advice clinic to determine if clinically significant weight loss can be achieved and maintained in patients by this means. The weekly clinic was run by a health visitor for 8 years during which time 198 patients attended. Patients were seen individually by appointment on average between 1 and 4 weeks following referral by the GP, nurse or health visitor. The intervention was based on dietary and lifestyle advice. Methods: Short‐term outcomes were determined from retrospective inspection of clinic data for all 198 patients. One hundred and five patients were followed‐up at least 1 year after completion of the programme of clinic attendance and weighed to determine the long‐term outcome. Results: One hundred and ninety‐three (97%) patients achieved some weight loss during the programme, 33% achieved a 10% reduction in weight and 52% of patients achieved a reduction of BMI from above to below 30 kg/m 2 . Long‐term follow‐up showed that 6% patients maintained a 10% weight loss and 18% maintained a reduction of BMI from above to below 30 kg/m 2 . Conclusion: The results of this evaluation suggest that research on appropriate follow‐up to enable patients to maintain weight loss is needed.