Weight Loss Outcomes of Routine Dietetic Treatment in Primary Care

Area of Science:

• Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition
• Public Health and Epidemiology
• Obesity Research

Background:

• Clinically relevant weight loss (≥5%) is a primary goal in dietetic care for overweight and obese patients.
• While clinical trials show success, data on routine dietetic practice, including weight loss timing and maintenance, is limited.
• Understanding real-world outcomes is vital for optimizing patient care and treatment strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To examine the achievement and maintenance of ≥5% weight loss over 12 months in Dutch primary care dietetic treatment.
• To investigate the relationship between weight loss success and treatment intensity (visit frequency) and patient characteristics.
• To provide insights into the effectiveness of routine dietetic interventions for weight management.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective cohort study utilizing routinely collected data from dietetic electronic health records (EHRs).
• Inclusion of 4503 adults (≥18 years) with overweight or obesity (BMI ≥25 kg/m²) treated between 2016-2020.
• Analysis of weight change at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months, with multivariable logistic regression assessing factors associated with ≥5% weight loss.

Main Results:

• Overall, 33% of patients achieved ≥5% weight loss from baseline.
• Of those achieving weight loss, 60% reached the goal within the first 3 months of treatment.
• Increased visit frequency in the initial 3 months (OR=3.0) and months 3-6 (61% higher odds) was significantly associated with successful weight loss.

Conclusions:

• Early and intensive dietetic treatment is strongly associated with achieving clinically relevant weight loss in routine practice.
• Structuring primary care dietetic services to emphasize the early treatment phase may enhance patient outcomes.
• Further prospective studies are warranted to confirm these findings in real-world settings.