It has been just revealed that a mere change that is recommended by the doctor can help people lose weight. This could mean no more struggle! Check out the latest reports about this below.
Lose weight easier, according to doctors’ advice
The communication style of doctors may affect the success of weight loss outcomes among their patients, according to a recent study conducted by the University of Oxford. The study found that even subtle changes in a physician’s tone of voice and word choice can result in significant differences in weight loss outcomes.
In the United States, over 40 percent of the population is classified as obese, and the medical cost of obesity-related health conditions in 2019 alone was nearly $173 billion. Despite this, the impact of doctors on their patients’ ability to lose weight has not been well researched.
“Our results contradict some national guidance for clinicians,” Charlotte Albury, a researcher within the Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences at the University of Oxford and lead author on the study, said not too long ago.
“Until now, the long-term impact of communication variations in this context remained unexplored. Our findings give us a new understanding that could significantly alter how medical professionals approach conversations with patients.”
New study shows impressive results
A study conducted by Albury and her team, which was published on November 6 in the Annals of Internal Medicine, analyzed 246 recordings of doctor-patient conversations where doctors were offering their overweight patients a referral to a 12-week weight loss program.
The researchers studied the tone, word choice, and framing of these conversations and classified them into three main communication styles: good news, bad news, and neutral.
The study found that when doctors framed the conversation as ‘good news’, by emphasizing the benefits and opportunities of weight loss in a positive manner, patients were more likely to enroll in a weight loss program, attend more sessions, and most importantly, lose more weight compared to a neutral or negative framing.
Albury said that the results highlight the importance of effective communication between doctors and patients, and how positive framing can lead to better health outcomes.
In terms of patient outcomes, 83% of patients who had been given the good news approach attended the weight loss program, compared to just 50% of those who received the neutral and bad news delivery.
Stay tuned for more news about this extremely important issue for people’s health.
