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Effectiveness of a tailor-made weight loss intervention in primary care

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Abstract

Introduction

Weight loss interventions have been studied extensively, but methodological limitations negatively affecting applicability in everyday clinical practice are a very common problem in these studies. Despite the fact that obesity is treated mostly in a primary care setting, studies that investigate weight loss interventions in a primary care setting are scarce. Our objective was to assess the effectiveness of a tailor-made weight loss intervention in achieving a clinically significant weight loss in overweight (BMI ≥ 27 kg/m²) women aged 50–60 years in a primary care setting.

Methods

As part of a randomized controlled trial on the effects of a tailor-made weight loss intervention and oral glucosamine sulphate on the incidence of osteoarthritis of the knee in 407 overweight women aged 50–60 years, we analysed the effectiveness of the weight loss intervention in achieving clinically relevant weight loss.

Results

At baseline, the mean body weight for all participants was 88.7 ± 13.2 kg, and the mean BMI was 32.4 ± 4.3 kg/m². The percentage of participants that lost ≥5 kg or 5 % of their baseline body weight was 14.8 versus 6.3 % (p = 0.012) at 6 months for the intervention group and the control group, respectively. At 12 months, this was 18.7 versus 14.9 % (p = 0.027). Mean weight gain at 6 months was −0.9 versus 0.9 kg (p < 0.001) for the intervention group and the control group, respectively. At 12 months, this was −0.6 versus 0.6 kg (p = 0.01). At 30 months of follow-up, no significant differences were found between both groups.

Conclusions

This weight loss intervention, which, at short notice, is easily applicable in everyday clinical practice, is effective in achieving clinically significant weight loss in overweight women aged 50–60 over a 12-month period. Long-term weight loss maintenance, however, occurred only marginally. Magnitude of the effect is comparable to that achieved in many other more intensive weight loss interventions.

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Acknowledgments

This study was financed by ZonMw, Netherlands Organisation for Health Research and Development.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of General Practice, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Room GK 1048, PO Box 2040, 3000 CA, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Bastiaan C. de Vos, Jos Runhaar & Sita M. A. Bierma-Zeinstra

  2. Department of Orthopaedics, Erasmus MC, University Medical Centre Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

    Sita M. A. Bierma-Zeinstra

Authors
  1. Bastiaan C. de Vos
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  2. Jos Runhaar
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  3. Sita M. A. Bierma-Zeinstra
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Correspondence to Jos Runhaar.

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de Vos, B.C., Runhaar, J. & Bierma-Zeinstra, S.M.A. Effectiveness of a tailor-made weight loss intervention in primary care. Eur J Nutr 53, 95–104 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0505-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00394-013-0505-y

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