Evaluating the Importance of Long-term Follow up in a Dietitian Led Weight Management Service in the Community

Abstract

Background: According to current reports, 26% of adults in the United Kingdom are obese, Royal College of Physicians [1]. This highlights a need for practical, affordable and scalable intervention strategies that induce and effectively maintain clinically significant levels of weight loss. The Drop in to Stay on Track (DIST) service offers patients post weight loss intervention (WLI) support for weight maintenance and lifestyle changes. The purpose of the investigation was to evaluate a current community based dietitian led weight maintenance service to determine whether long term support and monitoring assist with weight maintenance/ weight loss post intervention. Methods: Over a period of a year, patients (n=44) attended an initial dietitian developed and led WLI. Upon competition patients were invited to attend the DIST service for long term support. Weights were collected pre and post WLI as well as at each time the patient utilized the DIST service. Weight changes were analysed using SPSS 20 statistical software and compared with DIST attendance frequency.  Results: The majority (84%) of participants had either maintained (10%) or lost (74%) weight at their last recorded DIST session. Table 1 highlights the various statistically significant weight decreases from WLI referral. Discussion: It is clear from the findings of numerous studies that preventing weight regain is extremely challenging Perri et al. [2]. Recent reviews suggest that weight maintenance efforts should be long in duration with a focus on relapse prevention and problem solving to combat regain Brantley et al. [3]. Our findings from our evaluation suggest long term support and monitoring is beneficial for weight maintenance/weight loss post weight management intervention and further research is required to analyse greater numbers. Conclusion: Extended care is a necessary and effective method to optimise both continuous weight loss and long term weight maintenance.