This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of employing medical assistants (MAs) as weight loss counselors. The cohort included 50 patients [body mass index (BMI) 27-50 kg/m2) who were randomized to either quarterly primary care provider (PCP) visits and weight loss materials (Control group, n=26) or to the same approach combined with eight visits with a MA over 6 months (Brief Counseling group, n=24). This pilot study found that a series of 8 brief (15-20 minutes) visits with a MA generated a mean loss of 5.1% compared to a loss of 1.0% in Control patients. Almost 50% of Brief Counseling participants lost ≥5% of initial weight. There were no significant differences between groups for changes in cardiovascular risk factors, but favourable trends in lipids were observed at month 6 in the Brief Counseling group as compared with the Control group. Participants regained weight following termination of the brief counselling visits. These findings support counselling by MAs to improve weight management in a primary care setting.
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