Design and rationale of the medical students learning weight management counseling skills (MSWeight) group randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Physicians have an important role addressing the obesity epidemic. Lack of adequate teaching to provide weight management counseling (WMC) is cited as a reason for limited treatment. National guidelines have not been translated into an evidence-supported, competency-based curriculum in medical schools. Weight Management Counseling in Medical Schools: A Randomized Controlled Trial (MSWeight) is designed to determine if a multi-modal theoretically-guided WMC educational intervention improves observed counseling skills and secondarily improve perceived skills and self-efficacy among medical students compared to traditional education (TE). Eight U.S. medical schools were pair-matched and randomized in a group randomized controlled trial to evaluate whether a multi-modal education (MME) intervention compared to traditional education (TE) improves observed WMC skills. The MME intervention includes innovative components in years 1-3: a structured web-course; a role play exercise, WebPatientEncounter, and an enhanced outpatient internal medicine or family medicine clerkship. This evidence-supported curriculum uses the 5As framework to guide treatment and incorporates patient-centered counseling to engage the patient. The primary outcome is a comparison of scores on an Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) WMC case among third year medical students. The secondary outcome compares changes in scores of medical students from their first to third year on an assessment of perceived WMC skills and self-efficacy. MSWeight is the first RCT in medical schools to evaluate whether interventions integrated into the curriculum improve medical students' WMC skills. If this educational approach for teaching WMC is effective, feasible and acceptable it can affect how medical schools integrate WMC teaching into their curriculum.

Teaching Medical Students to Help Patients Manage Their Weight: Outcomes of an Eight-School Randomized Controlled Trial

“…Before randomization, principal investigators at each of the eight schools were surveyed about the number of hours of curricula addressing behavior change and WMC during MS1–MS3 in their medical schools 22 . Questions on this survey were based on content and format from previous research.…”

“…Questions on this survey were based on content and format from previous research. In addition, a Matching and Randomization survey was administered to the Class of 2017 in both TE and MME schools which assessed various variables, including student self-perceived WMC skills (16 items; responses 1=not at all skilled, to 5=very skilled ) 22 . Schools were stratified into high (four schools) or low (four schools) and these pair-matched schools were randomly assigned to MME or TE.…”

Lifestyle Medicine and Psychological Well-Being toward Health Promotion: A Cross-Sectional Study on Palermo (Southern Italy) Undergraduates

“…Additionally, there is a preference for quality or organic food and zero-miles products. Physicians are the first source of information about health and healthy behaviours for their patients [ 4 ] and physician counselling has been demonstrated to be effective for weight loss [ 5 ], smoke cessation [ 6 ] and alcohol intake [ 7 ]. Regarding the skills required to practice LM, primary care physicians are called to promote healthy behaviours as the basis of medical care, disease prevention and health promotion, as well as providing the knowledge of the mechanisms by which specific lifestyle changes can have a positive effect on patient health outcomes [ 8 ].…”

Science and Technology to Change Human Being's Behaviour According to Quran as Counselling Approach

“…Counseling can help a person with interpersonal sensitivity issues, such as [17] through a behavioral cognitive approach. Similarly, there is providing weight management counseling is cited as a reason for limited tratment through cognitive behavioral counseling as the [18]. Behavior modification technology is also addressed to someone who is an alcoholic and a sex offender in the opinion of [19] becomes a descendant of alcohol and sex addiction.…”

“…Client feels entitled to affection because they feel superior to others ... ۗ ٌ ‫َﺔ‬ ‫ْﺒ‬ ‫ُﺼ‬ ‫ﻋ‬ ُ ‫ﻦ‬ ‫َﺤْ‬ ‫ﻧ‬ َ ‫...ﻭ‬ (QS12: 8). From this incident if the client can control his main emotions, thoughts (QS12:10 -QS 14:17) and deeds (QS 12:16,18) and his actions will behave healthfully, otherwise he will behave deviate. Acknowledging the strengths of others and acknowledging God who has favored Yusuf of them from hating others to wanting to kill through QS 12 science and technology is changing behavior.…”