Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2016 Sep;6(3):386-95.
doi: 10.1007/s13142-015-0337-9.

Feasibility, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a telephone-based weight loss program delivered via a hospital outpatient setting

M E Whelan  1 , A D Goode  2 , E G Eakin  2 , J L Veerman  3 , E A H Winkler  2 , I J Hickman  4   5 , M M Reeves  2
Affiliations

Feasibility, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a telephone-based weight loss program delivered via a hospital outpatient setting

M E Whelan et al. Transl Behav Med. 2016 Sep.

Erratum in

Abstract

Engaging patients in a group-based weight loss program is a challenge for the acute-care hospital outpatient setting. To evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of a telephone-based weight loss service and an existing face-to-face, group-based service a non-randomised, two-arm feasibility trial was used. Patients who declined a two-month existing outpatient group-based program were offered a six-month research-based telephone program. Outcomes were assessed at baseline, two months (both groups) and six months (telephone program only) using paired t tests and linear regression models. Cost per healthy life year gained was calculated for both programs. The telephone program achieved significant weight loss (-4.1 ± 5.0 %; p = 0.001) for completers (n = 35; 57 % of enrolees) at six months. Compared to the group-based program (n = 33 completers; 66 %), the telephone program was associated with greater weight loss (mean difference [95%CI] -2.0 % [-3.4, -0.6]; p = 0.007) at two months. The cost per healthy life year gained was $33,000 and $85,000, for the telephone and group program, respectively. Telephone-delivered weight management services may be effective and cost-effective within an acute-care hospital setting, likely more so than usual (group-based) care.

Keywords: Diet; Lifestyle intervention; Obesity; Physical activity; Translation research; Weight loss.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Recruitment flowchart for the telephone program and group-based program
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

See all "Cited by" articles

References

    1. Ng M, Fleming T, Robinson M, et al. Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. Lancet. 2014;384:766–781. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(14)60460-8. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. National Preventative Health Taskforce. Australia: the healthiest country by 2020. In: Ministry for Health and Ageing, Canberra. 2009.
    1. Colagiuri S, Lee CM, Colagiuri R, et al. The cost of overweight and obesity in Australia. Med J Aust. 2010;192:260–264. - PubMed
    1. Korda RJ, Liu B, Clements MS, et al. Prospective cohort study of body mass index and the risk of hospitalisation: findings from 246 361 participants in the 45 and Up Study. Int J Obes. 2012. - PubMed
    1. Hart CL, Hole DJ, Lawlor DA, Smith GD. Obesity and use of acute hospital services in participants of the Renfrew/Paisley study. J Publ Health. 2007;29:53–56. doi: 10.1093/pubmed/fdl088. - DOI - PubMed