Online behavioural counselling effective at sustaining weight loss

Behavioural counselling has been used as a treatment option for obesity, alongside diet and lifestyle changes. However, previous studies have suggested that intensive counselling and support is needed for it to be effective. A new online weight reduction programme called Positive Online Weight Reduction (POWeR)+ has been proven to be highly effective at weight loss and weight loss maintenance, these results have been published in Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology. Professor Paul Little, the developer of the programme, explained that it not only helped people lose weight, but it enabled them to manage their weight going forward.

The programme itself involves brief online contacts from a nurse that teaches self-regulation and cognitive behavioural techniques, providing long-term solutions to weight loss. The study itself included 818 people over 30 who were participating in the course for over 6 months. The researchers explain that online interventions that are effective have the ability to save the NHS money by reducing the amount of time and funding given to face-to-face contact.