diet support

Want help dieting? Phone a friend

October 16th, 2009

by Deborah S. Roberts

If you’re looking for encouragement for your weight-loss efforts, you don’t necessarily have to opt for a top-of-the-line support system. According to research published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, a low-budget program will work just as well.

Researchers from the Edgar National Center for Diabetes Research in Dunedin, New Zealand, divided 200 women who had lost at least 5 percent of their body weight into two support groups. The “intensive” group went to 11 individualized 35-minute meetings with a nutritionist and exercise trainer plus two training sessions at a private gym. The other group weighed in with a nurse every two weeks and spent five to 10 minutes talking with her about their diet and physical activity. The nurse would also periodically check in with participants by phone between weigh-ins.

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