Nutritional Coaching Process Improve Nutritional Habits and Body Composition Without a Diet Prescription

Abstract

One of the most important contemporary health problems is the global prevalence of overweight and obesity, but nutritional consultation per se has continuously failed to yield consistent and lasting results. A recent estimate reveals less than 1 in 100 persons will be successful in achieving sustained weight loss to normal weigh. PURPOSE: the aim of this case report is to detail and evaluate nutritional coaching (NC) in promoting lifestyle changes, enabling improvement of nutritional and body composition-associated parameters. The subject of this study had previously engaged into a series of different diet regimens, all of which failed in achieving the proposed aim. METHODS: nutritional intake, body composition, quality of life (WHOQOL-bref) were assessed at baseline, after 12 weeks of NC and 6 months after finishing NC. 12 sessions of NC (employing health coaching techniques: through motivational interviewing, wellness vision sharing, and goal settings). RESULTS: NC sessions (one per week) promoted reductions in body fat mass in 12 weeks (-6kg) that was even greater 6 months after finished the sessions (-10kgs, total of -16kgs). Nutritional habits also improved, as the subject showed decreased total energy intake (-20%), fat intake (-22%). The coaching program was able to induce immediate health benefits using a strategy with the patient at the core of promoting his own lifestyle changes. This behaviors changes seemed to be much more sustainable than just follow a diet prescription. CONCLUSIONS: the nutritional coaching strategy detailed was effective at helping our patient develop new eating patterns and improve related health parameters.