Calling all GPs to assist with a trial of a very brief intervention to help your patients lose weight

We invite you to participate in BWeL, a randomised controlled trial testing the effectiveness of a 30-second opportunistic intervention given by GPs to support weight loss in obese adults. Over the next year, we aim to recruit 1,824 patients from 60 GP practices across England.

Why is this Trial Important?

25% of the UK’s adult population is obese; losing even 5kg reduces the incidence of diabetes and cardiovascular disease. QOF requires you to develop a register of people who are obese, but you do not have to take action. Recent evidence shows that commercial weight loss organisations available to NHS patients on prescription can lead to clinically significant weight loss (see related report on Lighten Up http://www.bmj.com/content/343/bmj.d6500)

Your Involvement as a GP

In the intervention group, you would explain that weight loss is more successful with the support of an external organisation and that you can refer your patient now. In the control group you would encourage weight loss because of the benefits to health. In both cases, the intervention is opportunistic. If you feel patients require more than 30 seconds, you could offer them another appointment for more detailed discussion; we will provide you with appropriate training for this. (We envisage each GP would be involved for about six sessions).

What are the Benefits of Participating in BWeL?

· We hope that the intervention will help with weight loss. Your patients will get 12 free sessions with a commercial weight loss provider (Rosemary Conley or Slimming World).

· We will measure the height and weight of all patients attending during recruitment, as well as collect other sociodemographic data e.g. ethnicity, language spoken and provide you with this to update medical records.

· We will cover your costs for taking part, including time and use of a consultation room to weigh patients.

· The training contributes towards your CPD record and will be implemented and reflected upon for double points.

· The QOF process recently proposed giving support to such interventions.

Co-principle investigators: Dr Amanda Lewis and Prof Paul Aveyard, Dept. of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford.

If your practice is interested in taking part, please contact Sarah Clarke, Trial

Coordinator. Mobile: 07865 617 958, Email: sarah.clarke@phc.ox.ac.uk