Abstract

An Adult Weight Management service (Chrysalis) has delivered 39 programmes (at the time of this study) across the 4 General practices in Retford, Nottinghamshire. It is a 12 week (one hour per session) programme of lifestyle and behavioural change advice which aims to support patients in losing and maintaining weight loss. Patients attend in small groups of approximately 12 people. Follow up occurs at three and twelve months after completion of the initial course. The service was introduced in February 2009, and has seen over 500 patients.

In 2009 Retford Health applied successfully for a Regional Innovation Award to further develop the service to try to improve the outcomes of the intervention. The innovation was to develop an on-line calorie calculator through which patients can input the details of foods consumed and activity undertaken in order to more tangibly assess the required reduction in calorie intake and/or increase in calorie burning through physical activity.

This research was conducted to specifically to analyse and interpret existing data held by Retford Health and to collect additional primary qualitative data from clients on the weight management programme (with particular emphasis on assessing the feasibility of the on-line resource), with a view to evaluating the process and outcomes of the intervention.

In September 2010 we applied for a research grant from the Faculty of Health Life and Social Science at the University of Lincoln and were awarded £2200 to support this small-scale evaluation of the service. The research was led by Dr Ros Kane, Principal Lecturer in the Lincoln School of Health and Social Care and supported by the work of two recent graduates from the Faculty, Claudia Watson and Aaron Burgess.