Help your patients manage their weight
A strong partnership between you and your patients lays the foundation for successful weight management.
Help create a positive HCP-patient relationship with empathetic and reflective listening
How you speak with your patients can be just as important as what you say. Ask open-ended questions, affirm each patient’s perception of the situation, reflect on what you heard to ensure understanding, and summarize your shared understanding as you work to set specific goals.
Support motivation by calling attention to your patient’s progress1
Help minimize lapses by developing coping strategies and proactive plans for challenging situations1
Avoid frustration and failure by embracing cognitive flexibility—the ability to accept when weight management doesn’t go according to plan1
Maintain a focus on the patient’s desire for change
Determine the patient’s motivation by considering if the patient is2:
- Committed to achieving and managing their weight
- Confident in their ability to change required behaviors
- Resistant or reluctant to change
Monitor progress by creating SMART goals
SMART goals help patients clearly define their weight-management objectives. A SMART objective is3:
Specific
Focuses on a specific behavior or accomplishment
Measurable
Provides a framework to measure accomplishments
Achievable
Recognizes the time frame and resources available to the patient
Relevant
Remains true to the problem at hand
Time-Bound
Describes the time frame within which the objective is to be achieved
HCP, health care professional.
ADVOCACY AND RESOURCES
Hear what the key opinion leaders think
METABOLIC ADAPTATION
Learn about the reality of weight regain
References:
1. Hall KD, Kahan S. Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity. Med Clin North Am. 2018;102(1):183-197.
2. Kelley CP, Sbrocco G, Sbrocco T. Behavioral modification for the management of obesity. Prim Care. 2016;43(1):159-175.
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Writing SMART objectives. Published August 2018. Accessed March 13, 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/evaluation/pdf/brief3b.pdf
