E-mail, phone contact as effective strategies in the maintenance of weight loss in adults

Email
This Journal of Human Nutrition and Dietetics study aimed to assess the effects of dietetic support through e-mail on weight loss maintenance on individuals who were successful in weight loss (one group kept connected to their health professional through email and the other group did not. At 6 months, the e-mail group maintained an average weight loss of 10%, which was significantly greater than the mean percentage weight loss maintained by the control group. The control group regained weight at a statistically significant greater velocity than the e-mail group. In conclusion, the study showed that dietetic support using e-mail can be used effectively and economically in reducing weight gain velocity and assisting in the maintenance of weight loss.

Steve - the original purpose of our eNewsletters was to keep you connected to wellness. In return, many clients have told us that our eNewsletters have had this effect. Recently, we have stepped up the effort with our more intensive, subscription-based eNewsletter in addition to our free version. Clearly, keeping an email connection with your health professional can only be a positive thing. Do you agree? Comment below.

Phone
Counseling sessions by phone on how to maintain health helped a group of subjects stick with the changes, according to the study in the American Journal of Cardiology. This is important because the number of patients per health professional is growing in some areas, and some patients have trouble getting to a clinic to get counseling -- so health care providers need to find some new ways to deliver healthy lifestyle messages.

The researchers wanted to know whether getting extra counseling, in addition to what patients usually get, would improve health in people with a high risk of heart disease. About half the participants also got six phone counseling sessions, spread over two months, on how to maintain health. There was a higher percentage of people in the counseled group that kept to both the diet and exercise programs. Overall, the average blood pressure decreased in the counseled group.