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primary care Weight Management Programs Show Promise in Preventing Population-Wide Weight Gain
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CHICAGO – A new study reveals that encouraging patients to discuss weight management with their primary care physicians can lead to significant benefits, including increased clinic visits for obesity, prevention of population-wide weight gain, and increased revenue for healthcare systems.
PATHWEIGH Protocol: A 4-Year Study
Researchers at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine (CU Anschutz) presented data from a 4-year study of the PATHWEIGH protocol at the American Diabetes association (ADA) 85th Scientific sessions. The study, which involved 274,182 patients across 56 primary care clinics in Colorado, demonstrated the potential of integrating weight management into primary care settings.
Did You Know? The CDC reports that obesity affects over 40% of adults in the United States, increasing the risk of heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer.
Key Findings of the PATHWEIGH Study
While the intervention group experienced a modest weight loss of 0.1 kg at 18 months, the most significant outcome was the prevention of the typical expected weight gain across the entire population. In contrast, those who did not receive the intervention experienced a weight gain of approximately 0.1 kg.
According to Dr. Leigh Perreault, associate professor of medicine at CU anschutz, “Our data is the first to scale an intervention to more than a quarter of a million people and prevent population weight gain.”
How PATHWEIGH Works
The study employed a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial design, were clinics were randomized to offer either usual care or the PATHWEIGH intervention. Eventually, all clinics transitioned to using the intervention. Patients receiving usual care had visits where weight could be discussed, but clinicians lacked access to PATHWEIGH tools. In contrast, those in the intervention group had weight-specific visits, and their doctors had access to the protocol.
The PATHWEIGH protocol includes:
- A weight-management questionnaire for patients to complete before their visit.
- Specialized support tools and education for clinicians.
- A weight-specific template embedded in the electronic medical record for diagnosis, documentation, and ordering referrals.
Physicians were encouraged to follow up with patients every 4 to 6 weeks. Though, the use of these tools was optional, meaning patients in the intervention group could still receive usual care.
