Group Telephone Sessions can Help Obese People Lose Weight, Says Study

Group telephone conversations can be effective for greater weight loss among obese people, says study.

Metabolic syndrome affects a third of US adults and is associated with increased morbidity and premature death, from cardiovascular disease in particular.

Diet and Nutrition for Healthy Weight Loss
Correct diet and a planned exercise regime is the mantra of healthy and sustainable weight loss.

People with metabolic syndrome suffer from central obesity, high blood fats, high blood pressure and abnormal blood sugar levels.

Lifestyle changes - such as those tested in the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) - that lead to weight loss can prevent or slow the development of diabetes.

For a greater impact on public health, it is key to find ways to apply the principles of the DPP lifestyle change program in primary care provider practices, for example, which are ideal settings for weight loss interventions.

Herbs for Weight Loss: Pros and Cons
When attempts to lose weight through conventional methods fail, many resort to herbs for weight loss. How do herbs help reduce obesity? How effective are they? Find out here.

In addition, telephone interventions are attractive as they can reach a large number of patients, at a time and in a place that best suits them.

A team comprising Dr. Paula Trief and Ruth Weinstock from SUNY Upstate Medical University in Syracuse, New York and colleagues, compared the effectiveness of two primary care provider telephone adaptations of DPP in their Support, Health Information, Nutrition and Exercise (SHINE) study.

Quiz on Weight Loss
If you thought fried foods, processed foods and potato are the bad guys in your weight loss plan, you thought right! Take this quiz and find out what actually can help you get the figure you always wanted.

A total of 257 obese patients with metabolic syndrome, but not diabetes, were recruited from five practices in New York.

They were randomly assigned to one of two groups - they received either individual calls or participated in conference calls with up to eight patients per call, for a period of two years. The authors measured changes in weight after 6, 12 and 24 months of calls.

Bad Foods that May Still Be Good for Weight Loss
Who thought potato or pasta could help with your weight loss? Watch this slideshow to find out what researchers and nutritionists are saying about these and other 'bad' foods.

The researchers found that participants in both groups lost weight after one and two years.

The individual and conference call versions of the lifestyle intervention were equally effective after a year; however, after two years, conference call participants had lost more weight and continued to lose weight compared to those receiving individual calls who began to regain.

The conference call educators were trained to promote discussion among the group and group members shared weight loss strategies within a supportive environment.

The study is published online in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, published by Springer.

Source-ANI