Globally, obesity rates are increasing. However, few people receive professional help in weight management programs. The face-to-face counseling of these programs requires frequent visits to a treatment facility, making it less appealing for those with busy lifestyles. In cases like this, counseling by phone or via the internet may be of greater use.
A Dutch study, published in the open access journal, BMC Public Health, compared counseling via phone and e-mail with the standard practice of issuing self-help literature in approximately 1400 workers as an aid to weight management.
The study set out to assess the effects of counseling sessions by phone or internet once every two weeks on weight loss and diet in overweight workers after six months.
The participants in this study, each with a BMI greater than 25 (the level considered overweight), were employees recruited from seven companies. They were randomly split into three groups: a control group, one which received written program-materials and counseling via phone, and another which had access to an interactive program website and received counseling via e-mail. All of the participants, including the control group, received self-help brochures that emphasized the importance of physical exercise and diet. The counseling received by the internet and phone groups included encouragement to fit physical activity into their normal routine, such as taking a walk at lunch, and stressed eating a healthy diet. These interventions were continued for up to 6 months.
The researchers assessed the body weight of each participant and each was given a questionnaire by which their food intake, physical activity and waist measurements were assessed. These measurements were taken again six months later.
