title: Weight outcomes audit for 34,271 adults referred to a primary care/commercial weight management partnership scheme.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This project audited rate and extent of weight loss in a primary care/commercial weight management organisation partnership scheme.
  
  
  METHODS
  34,271 patients were referred to Slimming World for 12 weekly sessions. Data were analysed using individual weekly weight records.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Average (SD) BMI change was -1.5 kg/m² (1.3), weight change -4.0 kg (3.7), percent weight change -4.0% (3.6), rate of weight change -0.3 kg/week, and number of sessions attended 8.9 (3.6) of 12. For patients attending at least 10 of 12 sessions (n = 19,907 or 58.1%), average (SD) BMI change was -2.0 kg/m² (1.3), weight change -5.5 kg (3.8), percent weight change -5.5% (3.5), rate of weight change -0.4 kg/week, and average number of sessions attended was 11.5 (0.7) (p < 0.001, compared to all patients). Weight loss was greater in men (n = 3,651) than in women (n = 30,620) (p < 0.001). 35.8% of all patients enrolled and 54.7% in patients attending 10 or more sessions achieved at least 5% weight loss. Weight gain was prevented in 92.1% of all patients referred. Attendance explained 29.6% and percent weight lost in week 1 explained 18.4% of the variance in weight loss.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Referral to a commercial organisation is a practical option for National Health Service (NHS) weight management strategies, which achieves clinically safe and effective weight loss.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Research Department, Slimming World, Alfreton, UK.
authors.forename: R James
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Stubbs
authors.forename: Carolyn
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Pallister
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Whybrow
authors.forename: Amanda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Avery
authors.forename: Jacquie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lavin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003132:Commerce; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000628:therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011320:Primary Health Care; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012737:Sex Factors; D012944:Social Support; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015430:Weight Gain; D015431:Weight Loss