JOHNS HOPKINS MEDICINE -March 10, 2009
Is Weight Loss a Phone Call Away?
By Margaret Furtado, M.S., R.D.
Everyone is so busy these days that, for reasons of time, cost, and scheduling, many people striving to improve their eating habits may not be able to go see a dietitian or nutritionist for individual counseling.
Well, what about telephone counseling then? It's an increasingly popular and preliminary studies have reported that it's an effective strategy for behavior change. Now a research study in the August 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association indicates that counseling over the phone does indeed work.
Although uncontrolled, this telephone-counseling intervention over 3 months, with a total of 8 phone calls to each participant, revealed that even this short period of counseling can produce healthy dietary changes. Specifically, adults (97 subjects, mostly women) who were eating fewer than 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily were encouraged to increase their intake of fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans and legumes, and fiber. Plasma carotenoids (antioxidants) were measured in 41 randomly selected subjects as a way of assessing their actual intake of vegetables and fruits.
Results of this study revealed that those receiving the telephone intervention consumed significantly more vegetables (67 percent), fruits (71 percent increase), and whole grains and beans (40 percent)-as indicated by significant increases in their total plasma carotenoids-than did those not receiving the telephone counseling.
Why did the telephone counseling work?
In my opinion, the telephone allowed the coach to give expert advice consistently, and it created a sense of accountability on the part of the participants, both of which paid off in more healthy eating choices.
Also, the subjects' intake of fat significantly decreased as more fruits and vegetables were consumed. Since fat contains more than twice the calories of carbohydrates or protein, the caloric intake of their meals naturally decreased, which not only increased their chances for weight loss, but also decreased their risk for heart disease.
While the ideal will always be to see a dietitian or health care provider face-to-face, this research suggests other options are out there that might result in significant dietary changes.
The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has a directory of dietitians in all 50 states. You can find one within a short distance of your home or office, and even specify the particular area of nutrition counseling you'd like to receive, including weight management. Just go to the ADA Web site, click on "Find a Nutrition Professional Near You," and enter your zip code. Some of the dietitians may do phone consultations or even make house calls!
