Doctors Provide Unsuccessful Weight Loss Advice to Those With Obesity

A recent study has found that advice on weight loss given to people with obesity by their doctors tends to be vague and not helpful. The research, led by Madeleine Tremblett from the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford in England, examined 159 audio recordings of consultations between people with obesity and general practitioners. The researchers found that the advice given by doctors rarely included effective methods for weight loss and in the majority of cases involved telling patients just to eat less and exercise more. Experts say that specific, individualized approaches to weight loss are the most effective. This includes considering the circumstances of the person who has obesity and combining nutritional counseling and education with behavior modification and lifestyle change.