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A Primary Care Intervention for Weight Loss: Results of a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study
Journal article   Open access   Peer reviewed

A Primary Care Intervention for Weight Loss: Results of a Randomized Controlled Pilot Study

Adam G. Tsai, Thomas A. Wadden, Marisa A. Rogers, Susan C. Day, Renee H. Moore and Buneka J. Islam
Obesity (Silver Spring, Md.), v 18(8), pp 1614-1618
Aug 2010
PMID: 20019680
url
https://doi.org/10.1038/oby.2009.457View
Published, Version of Record (VoR) Open

Abstract

Endocrinology & Metabolism Life Sciences & Biomedicine Nutrition & Dietetics Science & Technology
Most primary care providers (PCPs), constrained by time and resources, cannot provide intensive behavioral counseling for obesity. This study evaluated the effect of using medical assistants (MAs) as weight loss counselors. The study was a randomized controlled trial conducted in two primary care offices at an academic medical center. Patients (n = 50) had a BMI of 27-50 kg/m(2) and no contraindications to weight loss. They were randomized to quarterly PCP visits and weight loss materials (Control group) or to the same approach combined with eight visits with a MA over 6 months (Brief Counseling). Outcomes included change in weight and cardiovascular risk factors (glucose, lipids, blood pressure, and waist circumference). Patients in the Brief Counseling and Control groups lost 4.4 +/- 0.6 kg (5.1 +/- 0.7% of initial weight) and 0.9 +/- 0.6 kg (1.0 +/- 0.7%), respectively, at month 6 (P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between groups for changes in cardiovascular risk factors. Brief Counseling patients regained weight between month 6 and month 12, when MA visits were discontinued. Attrition was 10% after 6 months and 6% after 12 months. Brief Counseling by MAs induced significant weight loss during 6 months. Office-based obesity treatment should be tested in larger trials and should include weight loss maintenance counseling.

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66 citations in Scopus

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Collaboration types
Domestic collaboration
Web of Science research areas
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Nutrition & Dietetics
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