Primary care-led weight-management intervention: qualitative insights into patient experiences at two-year follow-up

ABSTRACT

Purpose

The prevalence of overweight and obesity is continuously increasing globally and long-term weight loss intervention outcomes remain disappointing. To determine which behavioural intervention approaches improve the probability of achieving long-term weight loss, this two-year follow-up study aimed to identify distinct factors and strategies for successful long-term weight loss maintenance.

Methods

A cohort of 20 participants with overweight and obesity from a primary-care led weight management programme with diverse backgrounds was interviewed at baseline, after 1 and 2 years, and asked to do quantitative self-description. This study focused on the 2-year follow-up interviews from this study series.

Results

We found that agile, continuous self-monitoring with personalized, sustainable lifestyle habits correlated with positive outcomes. Participants reported health benefits, maintained weight loss, and found motivation in supportive peer networks. Challenges like anxiety, disappointment, and disruptions derailed progress. Long-term success relied on a strong support system of healthcare professionals, friends, and family.

Conclusions

The findings of this study series highlight the intricate nature of long-term weight loss maintenance. This study corroborates the persistence of overarching themes while highlighting the individual variability in their relative importance. Findings emphasize the importance of long-term support to effectively address the diverse needs of patients trying to achieve long-term weight loss maintenance.

KEYWORDS:

• Obesity
• long-term weight loss
• obesity management
• weight management
• weight-loss
• sustainable weight-loss

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Supplementary material

Supplemental data for this article can be accessed online at https://doi.org/10.1080/17482631.2023.2276576

Additional information

Funding

The author(s) reported there is no funding associated with the work featured in this article.

Notes on contributors

Marie Spreckley

Marie Spreckley is the Director of Business Operations and Partnerships at Genes & Health, Queen Mary University of London, and a Research Associate at the University of Cambridge. She has a special interest sustainable weight loss and obesity management.

Judith de Lange

Judith de Lange, MSc, is a Project Manager in the international public health sector, with a background in nutrition. She has a special interest in health prevention and promotion using education and digital tools.

Jaap Seidell

Jaap Seidell, PhD, is a professor of nutrition and health at the department of health sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam with a special interest in the prevention and management of obesity.

Jutka Halberstadt

Jutka Halberstadt, PhD, is an assistant professor at the department of health sciences at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. She has a special interest in integrated health care for children and adults with overweight and obesity.