September 18, 2015 – Doc Support

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Anchor lead:  Physician assistance in weight loss efforts really does help, Elizabeth Tracey reports

Patients enrolled in a weight loss program who were happy their primary care docs were involved with the program and regularly reviewed weight loss reports with them lost more

weight than those without such support, a Johns Hopkins study led by Wendy Bennett, an internal medicine expert, has shown.  Bennett says while primary care docs really can’t take on such a role full time, they can provide perspective patients value.

Bennett: I think the provider is there, like with smoking cessation, to plant that seed. To say these are some ideas for behavior change, this is the link between your weight and future chronic disease, this is why you need to make changes now.  I think it’s that early weight counseling that could get the patient to the point where they can join a two year program and really see significant weight loss, but getting to that point I think that’s part of what the provider does, and then once they’re in that program we say thumbs up you’re doing great, and I’m here to partner with you along the way.   :32

Bennett says those who are interested in losing weight should tell their primary care docs and enlist their support as well as choose a structured program. At Johns Hopkins, I’m Elizabeth Tracey.