Successful long-term weight loss with a Mediterranean style diet in a primary care medical centre.

Glynn, G.; Colquhoun, D.

Objective: To assess the long term (1 year) effectiveness of a weight loss programme which is based on a Mediterranean type diet and has previously been shown to be successful over the short term (3 months). Background: Increasing foods rich in Monounsaturated fat (MUFA) may be preferable to the usually prescribed low total fat diets. A Mediterranean diet which is high in MUFA but not energy-dense may be more effective at long-term weight loss than a low total fat diet. Methods: A Mediterranean diet has previously been shown to be effective over three months in a study following 100 consecutive patients attending a weight loss programme at a Primary Care Medical Centre. The same 100 patients were followed up 15 months after commencing the diet programme, to assess long-term effectiveness of weight loss Results: 41 people were available for follow up. 22 of those contacted attended the surgery for review and 19 chose to be reviewed by telephone. 24 patients had maintained at least some of their weight loss, with a mean weight loss of 8.18% of starting body weight at 15 months follow up. 17 patients regained all of the weight that they had lost; 75 % (n=18) of the 24 people who had maintained at least some of the weight loss had completed the full, three-month programme. Twenty-six of the 28 people who completed the full programme were contacted. Twelve (46.2%) had maintained or lost even more weight while 6 (23.1%) had regained some but not all of their lost weight. Conclusion: The Mediterranean type diet is very effective for weight loss both in the short term and at 15 months follow up. Long term follow up of this diet programme is at least as effective as any diet or diet and drug therapy published. Individuals completing the recommended 12-week program seem to have more effective long-term weight loss. This type of diet is an alternative to current practice and is amenable to a primary care Medical Practice.

REDUCING diets; MEDITERRANEAN cooking; WEIGHT loss; PRIMARY care; MEDICAL practice

Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 2004, Vol 13, pS139

0964-7058

Academic Journal