Population-Wide Weight Loss Achieved Through Primary Care Innovation in Colorado
A statewide health initiative has reversed the tide of population weight gaināa feat long considered impossible in the fight against obesity.
A primary care intervention called PATHWEIGHT, implemented in 56 UCHealth clinics, reduced population weight gain by 0.58 kg over 18 months across 274,182 patients. The program increased the likelihood of weight-related care by 23% and doubled anti-obesity medication use during the trial.
Dr. Leigh Perreault said:
"We absolutely eliminated population weight gain across all of our primary care, which has never been done previously. This is the blueprint that moves us forward."
The study, published in Nature Medicine, describes PATHWEIGHT as a systemic solution that shifts the focus from individual behavior change to structural care process improvements.
Five health systems across seven states are exploring adoption of the model, and the Obesity Association has incorporated it into its inaugural standards of care for obesity.
Researchers emphasize the findings demonstrate correlation, not causation, and the study does not provide clinical guidance for individual patients.
The trial involved human participants but does not yet establish readiness for widespread clinical application.
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