Dietary factors in overweight adults.

Abstract

The often stated inability of many patients to lose weight or maintain weight reduction is a common complaint heard in general practice and the dietary reasons underlying the problem was studied. The study was carried out in a suburban general practice , and it was found that there is a high degree of dietary ignorance and dietary indiscretion in overweight people. This would therefore account in the majority of cases for the claims made by patients that they eat very little and yet cannot lose weight. Overweight/obesity is of multi-factoral aetiology and the dietary aspect plays a major role. Thus recommendations have been made to endeavour to correct the problem at general practice level, by supplying a protocol in an approach to weight control management and at a community level by the introduction of a comprehensive and multifaceted health programme aimed at education and implementation of good dietary behaviour.