Office of Public Relations — Newsroom
News Release
For Immediate Release - Monday, Jan. 28, 2008
Contact: Jacque Montgomery, 303-724-1528, cell phone 303-928-9093, Jacque.Montgomery@uchsc.edu
A little doctor talk goes a long way in helping patients with diabetes
Computer prompt serves as more than reminder to physicians
Aurora - Patients with diabetes seem to take their doctors orders seriously when physicians spend a bit of time encouraging and educating them about the importance of physical activity and improved diet. New findings published in today's issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine show that a simple computer prompt for doctors at each clinic visit designed to help them talk to their overweight patients with type 2 diabetes actually led to improved physical activity and weight loss. The study team included two physicians from the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine and involved patients seen at Denver Health and the Pueblo Community Health Center.
"This study shows that very brief, time-efficient conversations with patients at the clinic can create important benefits. Patients with diabetes can benefit substantially from even modest changes in physical activity and weight loss," said Tim Byers, M.D., co-author of the study and Professor of Preventive Medicine at the University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine. "This type of simple computer-assisted behavioral prompt can be especially helpful in helping a patient better manage their diabetes"
The study, "Clinic-based Support to Help Overweight Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Increase Physical Activity and Lose Weight" involved 310 Hispanic/Latino patients who were overweight or obese. One group of patients, those in the intervention group, received help in setting goals for nutrition and physical activity using a computer program. The other group, the control group, received only printed educational material.
Over a 12-month period, 32 percent of patients in the intervention group lost six pounds or more and more than half increased their physical activity. In the control group, only 18 percent lost more than six pounds and only one third improved their activity level. Other key findings included:
- The computer support system helped doctors talk with patients about improving health lifestyles at each clinic visit and only took a few minutes to complete.
- Simple support and encouragement from doctors was powerful in helping patients increase exercise and lose weight.
- People who set goals to gradually lose weight sustained weight loss over 12 months.
"This information is particularly relevant given the high economic costs and prevalence of diabetes and obesity in Colorado and the US," said Daniel Bessesen, MD, co-author of the study and Professor of Endocrinology at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. "Setting simple goals and reminding patients of the importance of physical activity and weight loss can make an important difference in their health."
Jim Christian, Principal Investigator and President of PHCC noted that this type of approach can help health care organizations target their investments in disease management more efficiently. The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
The School of Medicine faculty work to advance science and improve care as the physicians, educators and scientists at University of Colorado Hospital, The Children's Hospital, Denver Health Medical Center, National Jewish Medical and Research Center and the Denver Veterans Affairs Medical Center. The School is part of the University of Colorado Denver, one of three universities in the University of Colorado system. For more information, visit the website at http://www.uchsc.edu or the UC Denver Newsroom at http://www.uchsc.edu/news.
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