Prospective study of the development of excess weight in a group of chronic ambulatory patients
Oliva Segura, M.
Atencion Primaria 10(2): 599-603
1992
ISSN/ISBN: 0212-6567 PMID: 1511108 Document Number: 395356
To assess the effect of Health Education on excess weight. Observational crossover study in order to analyse the prevalence of excess weight. Prospective study with intervention. SITE. At the Primary Care level (the Vilanova del Camí Health Centre) in a semi-urban district with 9,173 inhabitants. Patients registered with the chronically ill nursing office in one of three General Medical units. Six patients seen at home and 4 how did not attend personally were not counted. The remaining numbered 87, out of which 17 did not present excess weight (the latter being defined as when there is a ratio of body mass (RBM) superior to 25). For the purpose of the intervention carried out to reduce weight, the 70 obese patients were divided into three groups: no intervention (N), hygienic/dietetic measures (M), and hypocaloric diet (D). The variation of weight and RBM achieved over six months was studied. The parameters for matching data were compared. In group N, a light weight increase of no statistical significance was found. In group M, a highly significant reduction of weight and RBM was observed (p less than 0.001). In group D, weight reduction presented a strong correlation (p less than 0.01) and the reduction in RBM was highly significant (p less than 0.001). An abstentionist attitude to the problem of excess weight cannot be justified, seeing that notable results can be obtained using hygienic/dietetic measures alone.