Slim Group Research Articles

A cross-sectional survey of the opinions on weight loss treatments of adult obese patients attending a dietetic clinic.

To investigate the views and opinions on weight loss treatments of adult obese patients attending a dietetic clinic. Cross-sectional survey. 161 adults attending dietetic outpatients clinics in Portsmouth for obesity with a body mass index of at least 30 kg/m2. Self-administered questionnaire developed from a series of focus groups with obese adults. Key topics were previous attempts to lose weight, methods used, the role of physical activity and patients' views about treatment from health professionals. The preferences and usefulness of different methods to lose weight varied according to the number of attempts to lose weight, gender, age, body mass index and medical condition of the patient. Men were less likely to use special slimming products, attend slimming groups and swimming than women (odds ratios (95% confidence interval), 0.1 (0.03-0.6) for slimming groups other than Weight Watchers, 0.3 (0.1-0.80) for special slimming products and 0.3 (0.1-0.6) for swimming). Men were more likely to use physical activity (2.6 (1.1-6.2)) and in particular walking (3.7 (1.0-13.6)) and cycling (2.8 (1.0-7.6)) and were more likely to see the dietitian (3.8 (1.4-9.9)) than women. Those with more than 10 attempts to lose weight were more likely to see the dietitian (3.6(1.6-8.2)), use Weight Watchers (2.5 (1.1-5. 6)) and newspapers and magazines (4.4 (1.8-10.9)) than those with fewer attempts. The younger age group were more likely to use more vigorous forms of exercise (4.2 (1.6-11.2) for keep fit and 3.7 (1. 5-9.6) for cycling) than the older subjects. The most obese were more likely to have negative views on their treatment by health professionals (4.4 (1.9-9.8) 'chairs are never big enough' and 4.0 (1.8-8.8) 'I am regarded as a second class citizen') than those who were less obese. Those without a medical condition were more likely to exercise (2.8 (1.3-6.3)) and use books (4.8 (2.0-11.2)) than those with a medical condition. The views of obese people should be considered when planning services for the treatment of obesity and a variety of options should be available. International Journal of Obesity (2000) 24, 164-170

Who gets what treatment for obesity? A survey of GPs in Scotland.

To describe the types and delivery of obesity treatment currently favoured by General Practitioners (GPs) working in Scotland. Representative cross-sectional survey using a postal questionnaire which included case stories as stimuli for questions about the GPs' nutrition guidance to overweight female patients. A systematic sample of 1400 general practitioners (GPs) from a total of 3593 GPs working in Scotland in 1997. From 1363 eligible GPs, 609 returned the full questionnaire and a further 132 took part in a telephone mini-interview. Net response was 54.4% (741/1363). Almost half of the GPs (45.6%) reported that they had read the recent national clinical guideline for integrating obesity prevention with weight management (SIGN 1996). The majority of GPs (89.6%) agreed that nutrition has an important role to play in the management of disease and 82.4% agreed that they can offer healthy eating advice to patients. However, only 34.8% of GPs believed that they had been successful in treating overweight patients. Routinely used treatments involve either a dietitian, practice nurse and/or a commercial slimming group and realistic weight loss was considered one criteria of successful treatment by some GPs. Age, year qualified and location of practice were found to have little influence over variations in GP treatment while weak associations between gender of GP and treatment were found. The readership of the clinical guidelines in Scotland has been moderate so far although a multidisciplinary approach to obesity treatment is recognised. Further investigations of any relationships between nutrition education-obesity treatment are needed.

SLIM group aims to simplify employment rules across Europe

SLIM group aims to simplify employment rules across Europe

Which way to treat obesity? Emotional, eating and behavioural issues in dieting

The roles of psychological and other factors in the treatment of obesity were examined in the context of a Community‐based Slimming Group (CSG), where some regular attenders appeared not to be benefiting as expected from the weight loss programme.A sample of 47 women from the CSG, who were about to embark on a 6 week weight loss programme, completed a series of questionnaires examining factors such as anxiety, depression, self‐efficacy, binge eating and nutritional knowledge. Weight changes were recorded over the course of the programme and at follow up approximately 1 year later. As a basis for comparison similar data were collected from a sample of post obese (PO) women who had at one time had a body mass index (BMI) in the same range as the CSG.Subjects attending the CSG showed a mean weight loss of 1.6 kg over the 6 week programme. This was greatest in those who were only slightly overweight, had not been to the group previously and showed only limited nutritional knowledge at baseline. Seventy per cent regained much if not all the weight or more over the subsequent year (mean weight gain 3 kg), with high levels of anxiety and binge eating the predominant psychological features of the least successful. Large initial weight loss was predictive of good short term success but a poorer long term prognosis. In general the CSG at baseline exhibited greater psychological problems and binge eating behaviour than the PO group, who (on average) showed normal psychological profiles and eating behaviour. However the means disguised a small number of PO women with quite severe psychological and eating problems.Overall results revealed a complex interrelationship between psychological problems, binge eating, dieting behaviour and weight.

Mood, bulimic symptoms and outcome in a community‐based slimming group

AbstractThe role of psychological and other factors in the treatment of obesity were examined in a community‐based slimming group, where some regular attenders appeared not to be benefiting from the six‐week weight‐loss programme. Forty‐seven women, a significant number of whom were of normal weight, completed psychometric tests assessing variables such as mood, binge eating, and nutritional knowledge. Weight changes were recorded over the course of the programme and at one year follow‐up. Subjects showed statistically significant but limited weightloss over the programme. Most however regained much of the weight over the subsequent year, with high levels of anxiety and binge eating the predominant psychological features of the least successful subjects. The efficacy of conventional dietetic practice, especially for those with mood and/or binge eating problems, is questioned. Identifying and helping this vulnerable sub‐group are stressed and recommendations made regarding psychological interventions for dieters with longterm weight problems.

オプティミストは健康か?

The purpose of this study is to develop the Japanese version of the Life Orientation Test(Scheier & Carver, 1985), and to examine the relationship between the tendency of optimism and the physical and psychological health. 1,149 university students were requested to perform the Japanese version LOT and the following scales: Cornell Medical Index (CMI), Feeling of Health Inventory, General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), which were used as indices of psychological health. The scores of height, weight, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and the result of urinary examinations (albumin, urinasanguinis and score of blood sugar) were used as indices of of physical health. As the result of a factor analysis, two factors were extracted for LOT: positive thinking for the present and the future (P-thinking), negative thinking for the past (N-thinking). On the relationship between the tendency of optimism and psychological health, multiple regression analysis revealed that P-thinking influenced to the psychological health, correlating with it. Furthermore the result of the ANOVA suggested that an individual who showed higher P-thinking or lower N-thinking was healthier subjectively. Especially, the tendency not to think optimistic influenced for the depressive mood. On the physical health, all subiects were divided into three groups: slim, standard, and obese groups, according to their BMI scores. The results of the ANOVA suggested that subjects in the obese group had more N-thinking than Ss in the slim group. As a result of t-test revealed that high blood pressure group showed more N-thinking than the standard group. Therefore, it was proved that an individual, who was not healthy physically, tended to have N-thinking. It was suggested that an individual, who think optimistic, can behave actively without fear for failure, and might get success. lt was also suggeted that pessimistic thinking was a cause of becoming depressive and optimistic thinking decrease depressive mood.

Dieting the overweight schoolchild

Family attitudes toward food create a very important influence upon the eating habits of the growing child. It is both unfair and often futile to expect a youngster to control a lusty appetite while other members of his family gorge without restraint, particularly if they too have a weight problem. A mutually supportive atmosphere exists within a family and it was wondered whether a child and its mother both actively dieting together would encourage a good weight loss from each. It was also suggested that if one person (the child) ceased to be compelled to follow a diet whilst the other (the mother) continued regularly instruction at a slimming group then the dietary discipline and attitudes created by the previous period of dieting would continue to exert an influence on the child even though the child had been “freed” from the discipline of group therapy. Further, it was hoped that the example of the mother would act as an encouragement for the child to continue to check what he eats.