Obesity Screening and Brief Physician Intervention Can Lead to Weight Loss

Guidelines recommend that physicians screen for obesity and refer patients to effective weight-loss programs. Researchers in England screened adults in 57 primary care practices for obesity (body-mass index, ≥30 kg/m²) and enrolled 1882 obese patients seeking care for other problems; participants were randomized to receive physician advice to lose weight (the “advice” group) or to receive a referral to a free weight-loss program consisting of 12 weekly 1-hour group sessions (the “support” group). Such programs are available throughout the U.K. but are underutilized. Physicians were trained to take no more than 30 seconds to deliver advice or offer group support; initial appointments were arranged immediately for patients who accepted group …