A comparison of virtual and in person delivery of a full meal replacement program for obesity.

Objective: Full meal replacement (FMR) Intensive Lifestyle Interventions (ILI) have been used for weight management. However, predictors of efficacy with these programs are less clear. The primary objective was to assess weight loss predictors in a community-based FMR ILI program. A secondary objective was to determine if weight loss was different between virtual and in person ILI. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study involving 234 patients who started the program between 1 January 2016 and 3 March 2021. In the 24-week program, patients spent 12 weeks on FMR and then transitioned back to food for the remainder, with weekly follow up with a physician and group sessions with a dietitian. Visits were in person prior to March 2020 and virtual afterward. Results: Patients' average age was 47.5 years (SD = 12.0) and 73.5% were female. Average weight loss was 14.3% (SD = 6.2%). There was no significant difference in weight loss between virtual and in person programs. Patients on a Glucagon-like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist prior lost less weight. Other significant associations between groups were baseline Hemoglobin A1C, classes attended, as well as the age since peak weight. Conclusion: Weight loss from virtual ILI was not significantly different from person ILI. More research is needed to determine how to best stratify care as virtual or in person using FMR programs.

Obesity in adults: a clinical practice guideline

Obesity is a complex chronic disease in which abnormal or excess body fat (adiposity) impairs health, increases the risk of long-term medical complications and reduces lifespan.1 Epidemiologic studies define obesity using the body mass index (BMI; weight/height2), which can stratify obesity-related health risks at the population level. Obesity is operationally defined as a BMI exceeding 30 kg/m2 and is subclassified into class 1 (30­34.9), class 2 (35­39.9) and class 3 (≥ 40). At the population level, health complications from excess body fat increase as BMI increases.2 At the individual level, complications occur because of excess adiposity, location and distribution of adiposity and many other factors, including environmental, genetic, biologic and socioeconomic factors.

Early LV remodelling patterns in overweight and obesity: Feasibility of cardiac CT to detect early geometric left ventricular changes.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is an in independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. GOAL: To describe the early LV remodelling pattern in patients with overweight and obesity and structurally normal hearts. METHODS: Consecutive patients (n = 2374), with structurally normal hearts and BMI ≥ 18.5 kg/m2, undergoing prospective mid-diastolic ECG gated CTCA were selected. Left ventricular mass (LVM) and Left ventricular mid-diastolic volume (LVMDV) were measured. The concentricity index (LVM/LVMDV) were calculated. According to the definitions of the World Health Organization (WHO), the patients were divided into weight categories. RESULTS: The mean LVM ±â€¯Std. deviation in the subgroups according to WHO classification was 101.68 ±â€¯28.99 g (normal weight), 115.79 ±â€¯29.14 g (overweight), 123.8 ±â€¯33.44 g (class I obesity), 125.85 ±â€¯32.89 g (class II obesity) and 132.45 ±â€¯37.85 g (class III obesity). (p < 0.001) The mean LVMDV progressed with increasing WHO weight category from 112.37 ±â€¯36.46 in patients with normal BMI to 140.26 ±â€¯43.78 in patients with class III obesity. (p < 0.001) The concentricity index was 0.935 ±â€¯0.216 g/ml in patients with normal BMI, 0.979 ±â€¯0.253 g/ml, 1.058 ±â€¯0.635 g/ml, 0.996 ±â€¯0.284 g/ml and 0.9768 ±â€¯0.244 g/ml in patients with BMI categories 25-29.99, 30-34.99, 35-39.99 and ≥40 kg/m2, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our study demonstrates a non-linear (inverse U-shape) relationship between increasing BMI class and concentricity index, reaching its maximum at a BMI of 30-34.99 kg/m2. Further increase in BMI results in LV dilation.

Routinely assessing patients' sleep health is time well spent.

Poor sleep health is common in today's society and contributes to a wide array of health problems, decreases productivity, and increases the risk of accidents. Key sleep characteristics that should be assessed by clinicians include sleep duration, sleep quality, sleep timing, daytime alertness, and the absence of a sleep disorder. Examples of questions to be used by busy clinicians to quickly assess a patient's sleep health are provided. It is hoped that sleep health will be given the same level of attention as diet and exercise in clinic.

Effects on Diabetes Medications, Weight and Glycated Hemoglobin Among Adult Patients With Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes: 6-Month Observations From a Full Meal Replacement, Low-Calorie Diet Weight Management Program.

OBJECTIVES: A 6-month weight-management program with full meal replacement, low-calorie diet (full MR-LCD) (900 kcal/day for 6 to 12 weeks) follows a protocol for patients with diabetes for decreasing or discontinuing weight-gaining diabetes medications first (Group WG) and then titrating weight-neutral medications (Group WN). METHODS: This is a retrospective cohort study (1992 to 2009) of weight, glycemic control and diabetes medications changes in 317 patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes who were taking medications. RESULTS: Group WG and Group WN were similar at baseline, except that glycated hemoglobin (A1C) levels were significantly lower in Group WN (7.5% vs. 6.6%; p<0.001). At 6 months, both groups had lost 16% of their weight, and the decreases or discontinuations of medications were 92.1% sulfonureas, 86.5% insulins, 78.8% thiazolidinediones, 77.8% alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, 50% meglitinides, 33.3% dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors and 32.8% metformin. At 6 months, compared with baseline, A1C levels improved in Group WG and Group WN (6-month A1C levels 6.7% and 5.8%, respectively; p<0.0001), and Group WN had significantly better A1C levels than Group WG. At 6 months, 30% of patients were no longer taking diabetes medications and had significantly better percentages of weight loss compared with those taking medications (18.6% vs. 16%; p=0.002); both groups had improved glycemic control at 6 months (A1C 6.0% vs. A1C 6.6%; NS). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with obesity and type 2 diabetes taking medications, a full MR-LCD program appears to be safe and includes improvement in A1C levels. At 6 months, the percentage of weight loss can be significantly better in patients who no longer require diabetes medications, and A1C levels are best controlled in patients who are on WN medications.

Clinical outcomes among patients with extreme obesity undergoing elective coronary revascularization: Evaluation of major complications in contemporary practice.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Individuals with extreme obesity (EO), defined by a body mass index (BMI) ≥ 40 kg/m(2), constitute an increasingly prevalent population at higher risk of procedural complications. The implications of increasing weight burdens among this subset of patients in the setting of elective coronary revascularization have yet to be adequately studied. METHODS: We sought to define major complications in this group at one year following contemporary revascularization strategies by retrospectively analysing a cohort of consecutive EO patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). The primary endpoint was a composite of peri- and post-procedural complications. Secondary endpoints included a cardiovascular composite and target vessel revascularization (TVR). RESULTS: Adjusted event-free survival curves for the primary endpoint among 133 patients differed significantly with higher BMI (>43.2 kg/m(2)) associated with greater risk (p=0.02). The primary endpoint occurred more frequently with CABG compared to PCI (24.2% vs. 5.0%, p < 0.01), which remained significant after adjusting for differences in baseline variables. Rates of the cardiovascular composite and TVR were comparable. CONCLUSIONS: Increasing BMI was associated with greater risk for major complications among EO patients undergoing elective coronary revascularization. PCI was associated with fewer complications; however, both revascularization strategies demonstrated equivalent rates of death, MI, and/or stroke. Larger studies may permit a better understanding of the associations between increasing BMI and specific outcomes and to evaluate the role for pre-procedural weight loss in this select population.