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. 2023 Dec;18(1):2276576.
doi: 10.1080/17482631.2023.2276576. Epub 2023 Nov 20.

Primary care-led weight-management intervention: qualitative insights into patient experiences at two-year follow-up

Marie Spreckley  1 , Judith de Lange  2 , Jaap Seidell  2 , Jutka Halberstadt  2
Affiliations

Primary care-led weight-management intervention: qualitative insights into patient experiences at two-year follow-up

Marie Spreckley et al. Int J Qual Stud Health Well-being. 2023 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: The prevalence of overweight and obesity is continuously increasing globally and long-term weight loss intervention outcomes remain disappointing. To determine which behavioural intervention approaches improve the probability of achieving long-term weight loss, this two-year follow-up study aimed to identify distinct factors and strategies for successful long-term weight loss maintenance.

Methods: A cohort of 20 participants with overweight and obesity from a primary-care led weight management programme with diverse backgrounds was interviewed at baseline, after 1 and 2 years, and asked to do quantitative self-description. This study focused on the 2-year follow-up interviews from this study series.

Results: We found that agile, continuous self-monitoring with personalized, sustainable lifestyle habits correlated with positive outcomes. Participants reported health benefits, maintained weight loss, and found motivation in supportive peer networks. Challenges like anxiety, disappointment, and disruptions derailed progress. Long-term success relied on a strong support system of healthcare professionals, friends, and family.

Conclusions: The findings of this study series highlight the intricate nature of long-term weight loss maintenance. This study corroborates the persistence of overarching themes while highlighting the individual variability in their relative importance. Findings emphasize the importance of long-term support to effectively address the diverse needs of patients trying to achieve long-term weight loss maintenance.

Keywords: Obesity; long-term weight loss; obesity management; sustainable weight-loss; weight management; weight-loss.

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Conflict of interest statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Figures

Figure 1.
Figure 1.
The experiences of weight management.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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