Adherence
High-intensity behavioral weight-loss counseling delivered by primary-care physicians results in moderate but not clinically significant weight loss.
If you are overweight or obese, expect your primary-care doctor's high-intensity counseling to help you lose some weight, but do not expect it to be enough on its own to reach clinically significant goals (like >5% body weight loss). For better results, look for programs where a dietitian or health coach delivers the counseling, with your doctor monitoring your progress.
Overall, high-intensity weight-loss counselling by primary-care physicians resulted in moderate but not clinically significant weight loss.
Why this rating
Based on a systematic review of 16 studies, but methodological rigor was often poor.
Source
A systematic review of behavioural weight-loss interventions involving primary-care physicians in overweight and obese primary-care patients (1999–2011)
Sze Lin Yoong et al. · Public Health Nutrition · 2012
DOI 10.1017/s1368980012004375
More from this paper
- High-intensity behavioral weight-loss counseling delivered by non-physician personnel (e.g., dietitians, coaches) with monitoring by a primary-care physician produces clinically significant weight loss.Moderate
- Dietitian-delivered care appears effective in producing weight loss regardless of the level of intervention intensity.Moderate
Related findings · Adherence
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- Increasing physical activity from a sedentary lifestyle to an active one in middle adulthood significantly reduces the risk of coronary events compared to remaining sedentary.Strong
- Resistance exercise is the only intervention capable of consistently restoring muscle function and strength in sarcopenia, partially overcoming age-related anabolic resistance.Strong
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