Skip to main content
American Journal of Public Health logoLink to American Journal of Public Health
. 1999 May;89(5):764–767. doi: 10.2105/ajph.89.5.764

Weight loss counseling by health care providers.

H Nawaz 1, M L Adams 1, D L Katz 1
PMCID: PMC1508747  PMID: 10224993

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: This study explores the pattern of weight loss counseling by health care providers in Connecticut and the associated weight loss efforts by patients. METHODS: Data from the 1994 Connecticut Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System survey were analyzed to determine (1) the frequency of weight management counseling by health care providers of overweight adults with and without additional cardiovascular risk factors and (2) the current weight loss practices of overweight subjects. RESULTS: Only 29% of all overweight respondents and fewer than half with additional cardiovascular risk factors, reported that they had been counseled to lose weight. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest a need for more counseling of overweight persons, especially those with cardiovascular disease risk factors.

Full text

PDF
764

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. Battle E. K., Brownell K. D. Confronting a rising tide of eating disorders and obesity: treatment vs. prevention and policy. Addict Behav. 1996 Nov-Dec;21(6):755–765. doi: 10.1016/0306-4603(96)00034-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. Blackburn G. Effect of degree of weight loss on health benefits. Obes Res. 1995 Sep;3 (Suppl 2):211s–216s. doi: 10.1002/j.1550-8528.1995.tb00466.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Campbell M. J., Browne D., Waters W. E. Can general practitioners influence exercise habits? Controlled trial. Br Med J (Clin Res Ed) 1985 Apr 6;290(6474):1044–1046. doi: 10.1136/bmj.290.6474.1044. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Campbell M. K., DeVellis B. M., Strecher V. J., Ammerman A. S., DeVellis R. F., Sandler R. S. Improving dietary behavior: the effectiveness of tailored messages in primary care settings. Am J Public Health. 1994 May;84(5):783–787. doi: 10.2105/ajph.84.5.783. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Dengel D. R., Hagberg J. M., Coon P. J., Drinkwater D. T., Goldberg A. P. Effects of weight loss by diet alone or combined with aerobic exercise on body composition in older obese men. Metabolism. 1994 Jul;43(7):867–871. doi: 10.1016/0026-0495(94)90268-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Flegal K. M., Carroll M. D., Kuczmarski R. J., Johnson C. L. Overweight and obesity in the United States: prevalence and trends, 1960-1994. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1998 Jan;22(1):39–47. doi: 10.1038/sj.ijo.0800541. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. Friedman C., Brownson R. C., Peterson D. E., Wilkerson J. C. Physician advice to reduce chronic disease risk factors. Am J Prev Med. 1994 Nov-Dec;10(6):367–371. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. Goldstein D. J. Beneficial health effects of modest weight loss. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1992 Jun;16(6):397–415. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Grodstein F., Levine R., Troy L., Spencer T., Colditz G. A., Stampfer M. J. Three-year follow-up of participants in a commercial weight loss program. Can you keep it off? Arch Intern Med. 1996 Jun 24;156(12):1302–1306. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Grundy S. M., Barnett J. P. Metabolic and health complications of obesity. Dis Mon. 1990 Dec;36(12):641–731. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Heath C., Grant W., Marcheni P., Kamps C. Do family physicians treat obese patients? Fam Med. 1993 Jun;25(6):401–402. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Heywood A., Firman D., Sanson-Fisher R., Mudge P., Ring I. Correlates of physician counseling associated with obesity and smoking. Prev Med. 1996 May-Jun;25(3):268–276. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1996.0056. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. Hiddink G. J., Hautvast J. G., van Woerkum C. M., Fieren C. J., van 't Hof M. A. Nutrition guidance by primary-care physicians: perceived barriers and low involvement. Eur J Clin Nutr. 1995 Nov;49(11):842–851. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Hunt J. R., Kristal A. R., White E., Lynch J. C., Fries E. Physician recommendations for dietary change: their prevalence and impact in a population-based sample. Am J Public Health. 1995 May;85(5):722–726. doi: 10.2105/ajph.85.5.722. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Kushner R. F. Barriers to providing nutrition counseling by physicians: a survey of primary care practitioners. Prev Med. 1995 Nov;24(6):546–552. doi: 10.1006/pmed.1995.1087. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Logue E., Gilchrist V., Bourguet C., Bartos P. Recognition and management of obesity in a family practice setting. J Am Board Fam Pract. 1993 Sep-Oct;6(5):457–463. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Maheux B., Pineault R., Béland F. Factors influencing physicians' orientation toward prevention. Am J Prev Med. 1987 Jan-Feb;3(1):12–18. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. Mullen P. D., Simons-Morton D. G., Ramírez G., Frankowski R. F., Green L. W., Mains D. A. A meta-analysis of trials evaluating patient education and counseling for three groups of preventive health behaviors. Patient Educ Couns. 1997 Nov;32(3):157–173. doi: 10.1016/s0738-3991(97)00037-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. Peiss B., Kurleto B., Rubenfire M. Physicians and nurses can be effective educators in coronary risk reduction. J Gen Intern Med. 1995 Feb;10(2):77–81. doi: 10.1007/BF02600231. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Remington P. L., Smith M. Y., Williamson D. F., Anda R. F., Gentry E. M., Hogelin G. C. Design, characteristics, and usefulness of state-based behavioral risk factor surveillance: 1981-87. Public Health Rep. 1988 Jul-Aug;103(4):366–375. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Rosen M. A., Logsdon D. N., Demak M. M. Prevention and health promotion in primary care: baseline results on physicians from the INSURE Project on Lifecycle Preventive Health Services. Prev Med. 1984 Sep;13(5):535–548. doi: 10.1016/0091-7435(84)90022-7. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Russell N. K., Roter D. L. Health promotion counseling of chronic-disease patients during primary care visits. Am J Public Health. 1993 Jul;83(7):979–982. doi: 10.2105/ajph.83.7.979. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. Saris W. H. Exercise with or without dietary restriction and obesity treatment. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1995 Oct;19 (Suppl 4):S113–S116. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  24. Sarlio-Lähteenkorva S., Stunkard A., Rissanen A. Psychosocial factors and quality of life in obesity. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1995 Nov;19 (Suppl 6):S1–S5. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  25. Secker-Walker R. H., Morrow A. L., Kresnow M., Flynn B. S., Hochheiser L. I. Family physicians' attitudes about dietary advice. Fam Pract Res J. 1991 Jun;11(2):161–170. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  26. Seidell J. C., Verschuren W. M., van Leer E. M., Kromhout D. Overweight, underweight, and mortality. A prospective study of 48,287 men and women. Arch Intern Med. 1996 May 13;156(9):958–963. doi: 10.1001/archinte.156.9.958. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  27. Skender M. L., Goodrick G. K., Del Junco D. J., Reeves R. S., Darnell L., Gotto A. M., Foreyt J. P. Comparison of 2-year weight loss trends in behavioral treatments of obesity: diet, exercise, and combination interventions. J Am Diet Assoc. 1996 Apr;96(4):342–346. doi: 10.1016/S0002-8223(96)00096-X. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  28. Thompson S. C., Schwankovsky L., Pitts J. Counselling patients to make lifestyle changes: the role of physician self-efficacy, training and beliefs about causes. Fam Pract. 1993 Mar;10(1):70–75. doi: 10.1093/fampra/10.1.70. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  29. Troiano R. P., Frongillo E. A., Jr, Sobal J., Levitsky D. A. The relationship between body weight and mortality: a quantitative analysis of combined information from existing studies. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1996 Jan;20(1):63–75. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  30. Wechsler H., Levine S., Idelson R. K., Rohman M., Taylor J. O. The physician's role in health promotion--a survey of primary-care practitioners. N Engl J Med. 1983 Jan 13;308(2):97–100. doi: 10.1056/NEJM198301133080211. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  31. Yanovski S. Z. A practical approach to treatment of the obese patient. Arch Fam Med. 1993 Mar;2(3):309–316. doi: 10.1001/archfami.2.3.309. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from American Journal of Public Health are provided here courtesy of American Public Health Association

RESOURCES