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When It Comes to Weight Loss, Telephone Counseling Is as Effective as Face-to-Face Doctor's Visits
Fully produced report in MP3 format:
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(77 seconds)
-- How Will You Use This Story? --
(OPEN):
IMPORTANT NEWS, IF YOU'RE ON A DIET: A NEW STUDY PUBLISHED IN
"ANNALS OF INTERNAL MEDICINE" FOUND THAT TELEPHONE COUNSELING
IS JUST AS EFFECTIVE AS SEEING YOUR DOCTOR, FACE-TO-FACE. THE
STUDY COMPARED FIVE METHODS OF LIFESTYLE-MODIFICATION PROGRAMS, FOR
PATIENTS TAKING THE WEIGHT-LOSS DRUG "SIBUTRAMINE"
["SIH-BYOO-TRAH-MEEN"]. STUDY AUTHOR, DOCTOR ANDRES
DIGENIO [SOFT "G"], SAYS THE KEY IS LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION...
(DIGENIO):
"PHYSICIANS MIGHT BE ABLE TO EASILY PRESCRIBE A DRUG, FOR WEIGHT
LOSS. BUT, IT'S GOING TO BE VERY HARD FOR THEM TO PROVIDE
COMPREHENSIVE LIFESTYLE COUNSELING. AND, THAT'S WHY WE THINK THIS
STUDY WAS SO IMPORTANT--BECAUSE WE OFFER ALTERNATIVE WAYS OF DELIVERING
LIFESTYLE COUNSELING THAT COULD BE DELIVERED BY PRIMARY-CARE-PRACTICE
OFFICES."
(BRIDGE):
DOCTOR JANINE KYRILLOS IS A CLINICIAN SPECIALIZING IN WEIGHT
LOSS; SHE SAYS SUPPORT IS CRUCIAL, FOR THOSE TRYING TO MAKE SIGNIFICANT
LIFESTYLE CHANGES...
(KYRILLOS):
"I THINK FREQUENT COUNSELING AND SUPPORT IS ESSENTIAL, FOR
LONG-TERM BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION: YOU CAN TAKE A PILL, AND HOPE
THAT IT'S GONNA BE A QUICK FIX. BUT, IT'S NOT ALL THAT HELPFUL IN
THE LONG RUN--AND PEOPLE END UP GOING BACK TO OLD BEHAVIORS."
(CLOSE):
THE STUDY LOOKED AT NEARLY 400 "OBESE" PATIENTS--DEFINED AS A B-M-I OF 30
OR GREATER. STUDY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT TELEPHONE COUNSELING IS A
VIABLE AND EFFECTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO MORE-EXPENSIVE--AND
LESS-CONVENIENT--FACE-TO-FACE COUNSELING.
