A study looked at the evidence for the effectiveness of weight loss programmes in comparison with standard care and advice.
Prof Nick Finer, Consultant Endocrinologist and Bariatric Physician, University College London Hospitals , said:
“This study shows that diets (and dietary programmes) do work. About two thirds of overweight and modestly obese patients referred by their general practitioner to a commercial weight loss programme completed a year of treatment losing just over 5 kg in weight. This was nearly double the amount lost by a ‘control’ group randomly assigned to weight loss advice from a primary care professional within their general practitioner’s practice. These important findings show that obesity treatment is effective and structured commercial programmes can enhance outcomes. The authors of the paper themselves make the points that more intensive interventions can produce still greater weight loss (but at greater expense), and that this trial had patients who were less obese than in many others. Furthermore it is likely that patients will have perceived the free commercial programme as better value than the standard advice in a GP surgery and so been incentivised to do better. Nonetheless the study should further help to dispel the common nihilism about weight management and make it mandatory that this is provided within the National Health Service through general practitioners.”
‘Primary care referral to a commercial provider for weight loss treatment versus standard care: a randomised controlled trial’ by Susan Jebb et al., published in The Lancet on Thursday 8th September 2011.