Ryan P Sherman1,2,3,4, Rebecca Petersen1,2,3,4, Anthony J Guarino1,2,3,4, J Benjamin Crocker1,2,3,4. 1. Medway Public Schools, Medway, Massachusetts (RPS). 2. Azimuth Psychological, Boston, Massachusetts (RP). 3. Fulbright Specialist, Boston, Massachusetts (AJG). 4. the Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts (JBC).
Abstract
Background: Obesity is a major contributor to medical comorbidity and places a large economic burden on health care. This study examined the effectiveness of primary care-integrated health coaching for weight loss in overweight/obese patients. Participants/ Methods: This observational clinical study with a retrospective comparison analysis was performed at an urban academic primary care practice. A total of 271 individuals with a BMI >25 kg/m2 were recruited and followed for 2 years. A standardized health coaching intervention was used to promote weight loss. The main outcome measures were weight loss as a percentage of initial body weight and proportion of patients with weight loss ≥5% initial body weight, controlling for relevant covariates. An activity-based cost assessment of health coaching for weight loss was also performed. Results: Health coaching was associated with a mean loss of 7.24% initial weight after 12 months (95% CI = 8.68 to 5.90) and 6.77% after 24 months (95% CI = 8.78 to 4.76). Coached patients were more likely to achieve ≥5% of initial weight loss at both 12 and 24 months (P < .001). Health coaching costs were $288.54 per participant over 1 year. Conclusions: Primary care-integrated health coaching was associated with statistically significant weight loss in overweight and obese adults.
Background: Obesity is a major contributor to medical comorbidity and places a large economic burden on health care. This study examined the effectiveness of primary care-integrated health coaching for weight loss in overweight/obesepatients. Participants/ Methods: This observational clinical study with a retrospective comparison analysis was performed at an urban academic primary care practice. A total of 271 individuals with a BMI >25 kg/m2 were recruited and followed for 2 years. A standardized health coaching intervention was used to promote weight loss. The main outcome measures were weight loss as a percentage of initial body weight and proportion of patients with weight loss ≥5% initial body weight, controlling for relevant covariates. An activity-based cost assessment of health coaching for weight loss was also performed. Results: Health coaching was associated with a mean loss of 7.24% initial weight after 12 months (95% CI = 8.68 to 5.90) and 6.77% after 24 months (95% CI = 8.78 to 4.76). Coached patients were more likely to achieve ≥5% of initial weight loss at both 12 and 24 months (P < .001). Health coaching costs were $288.54 per participant over 1 year. Conclusions: Primary care-integrated health coaching was associated with statistically significant weight loss in overweight and obese adults.
Entities:
Keywords:
health coaching; obesity; primary care; telemedicine; telephone; weight loss