A study published on Dec. 13, 2022 in Family Practice revealed that eating less and moving more may not be as effective. According to the study, doctors often give patients abstract and vague advice about weight loss and it is not always supported by science.
A group of specialists from the University of Oxford, in England, studied 159 recordings of conversations between physicians and their patients considered “obese” by BMI. They found that only 20% of doctors gave advice on how to actually lose weight, with the other 80% giving advice that wasn't very helpful, such as "change your lifestyle a little".
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Common Advice Not Backed by Science
According to the researchers, most doctors don't know how to give good advice, and even if patients followed it, they probably wouldn't lose weight. Check out some more common tips:
- Just go upstairs;
- Eat less, move more;
- Be careful what you consume;
- Get as much exercise as your joints will allow;
- Make your own gluten-free flour that is supposed to be sugar-free (which is not true, as gluten is a protein);
- Reduce your carbs;
- Use an app to track your calories (calories in, calories out).
The study says medical schools don't teach much about nutrition and exercise, and doctors are often too busy to really get to know their patients' lives and habits.
Madeleine Tremblett, Ph. d. lead author of the study and a qualitative researcher at the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford, England, spoke on the subject:
“Doctors need clear guidelines on how to opportunistically talk to patients living with obesity about weight loss. This can help them avoid amplifying stigmatizing stereotypes and effectively help patients who want to lose weight,” she said.
After all, what to do to lose weight?
Obesity is caused by multiple factors, and restrictive diets alone are not effective. As such, a more personalized approach that includes:
- Overcoming food insecurity;
- Consult a registered dietitian for personalized nutritional advice;
- Modify behaviors to manage stress and improve sleep habits;
- Change lifestyle with advice on physical activity.
It's time to move beyond generic, ineffective advice and start providing personalized, science-based solutions that actually help people on their weight loss journey.
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