Nutritionist Mary Cotter, published co-author in BMC Public Health

I'm absolutely ecstatic to share with you that my name has been published in an academic paper accepted for publication in the highly coveted BMC Public Health! 

What is the title of the research paper? 

Evaluating differences in the clinical impact of a free online weight loss programme, a resource-intensive commercial weight loss programme and an active control condition: a parallel randomised controlled trial.

​(I love how it rolls off the tongue so easily).

What was my role in the clinical trial?

As the Nutritional Therapist, I was responsible for a group of individuals in a commercial weight loss programme. I supported the participants through a 12-week weight management programme which included:

• One-to-one Nutritional Therapy consultations.
• Weekly group nutrition classes (where we discussed different health topics, e.g. portion sizes, the impact of stress, eating out, the importance of sleep, etc.)
• Weekly group exercise classes with a personal trainer. 

What was the aim of the study?

The aim of the research study was to compare the efficacy of three different (commonly used) approaches to weight loss. We divided volunteers into three different groups and measured the results. 

​The three different weight loss groups were: 

1. A free online weight loss tool (an NHS programme).
2. A face-to-face group weight loss programme (a commercial programme by Nuffield Health) that provided face-to-face nutritional therapy consultations, weekly nutrition education classes and supervised exercise. This was my group!
3. A go it alone group who were provided with access to a gym but received no guidance on exercise or nutritional advice. 

​What are some of the health markers we measured?
The markers we used to measure the volunteers' progress and compare results included:

• Blood pressure
• Cholesterol
• Blood  triglycerides (fats in the blood)
• Blood sugar
• Resting heart rate 
• Body mass index (BMI)
• Hip to waist ratio
• Body weight

This is important because it means that if there is no shift in the scales (which is often the case for many people) we can assess hidden markers such as blood pressure and blood sugar levels which are risk markers for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. 

So what is the best way to lose weight?

Ah yes that age old question that everyone wants the answer to! Well the findings of this study suggest that both the online and face-to-face group approaches to weight loss are more effective than simply going it alone when it comes to short-term weight-loss. 

Both interventions were superior compared to the control group (going to the gym only) at achieving a reduction in body mass.

For more tips on losing weight effectively in the longterm, check out my top tips here. 

What is the key takeaway message?

Don’t go it alone when it comes to losing weight, getting fit and making lifestyle changes. Whether you find support online or offline, by being part of a supportive group and experiencing that sense of community, accountability and encouragement, may make all the difference.

Find your tribe.
Your supportive community could be your family, a Facebook group, your Registered Nutritional Therapist, or a commercial weight loss group (although choose this one wisely - no fads please!)

​I offer a range of nutrition packages which are designed to give you regular accountability and support. Book a call if you'd like to chat through your health issues and find a nutrition plan that will work for you. 

Massive congratulations to Mr Aidan Innes who wrote the academic paper and my colleagues and co-authors involved in this exciting project. 

Here is a link to the full paper: 
​https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-019-8061-x

What is the BMC Public Health?

​BMC Public Health is an open access, peer-reviewed journal that considers articles on the epidemiology of disease and the understanding of all aspects of public health.