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Obesity is an emerging epidemic in the modern world, and lifestyle modification remains the first line of therapy for weight management. Dietary intervention is an essential part of lifestyle modification. More than a dozen diets propagated for weight loss, and no single diet can be universally applied to every patient. Diet has to be tailored according to affordability, comorbidities, food preferences, and cultural factors. This activity reviews different diets for weight loss management by the interprofessional team and their potential health-promoting benefits. Objectives: Identify factors for why diet is the main focus of obesity treatment. Outline different diets for weight loss. Summarize differences in weight loss achieved with different types of diet. Explain additional benefits of each diet apart from weight loss. Access free multiple choice questions on this topic.

Obesity is a global epidemic associated with excessive fat accumulation and is defined as a body mass index of more than 30 kg/m2. Obesity poses a significant risk to physical and mental health. In addition, obesity increases the risk of several comorbidities, including metabolic syndrome, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes mellitus,  hypertension, coronary artery disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and several cancers.[1][2] Recent studies have also demonstrated obesity as a risk factor for adverse outcomes with COVID-19 infection.[3] The global burden of obesity has been rising with increasing prevalence, with severe health implications, increased medical costs, and lost productivity.[4]

Optimal dietary therapy for obesity should be tailored considering efficacy, long-term sustainability, comorbidities (diabetes mellitus), safety, affordability, nutritional value, cultural food preferences, and long-term adherence. It has to be practical with realistic long-term goals without ignoring overall health promotion. A healthy lifestyle and nutritional education need to be imparted from an early age. Parents need to be more proactive in providing dietary education. Lack of affordability of healthy foods and ready availability of processed foods are also contributory factors in obesity. These factors can only be addressed by policy change and food guidelines. The patient should be provided with the necessary resources for healthy food choices and referred to a dietitian when necessary. Nutritional information is abundant on the internet, but it can sometimes be overwhelming and confusing to the patient. Patients must be guided in navigating the data and reading food labels and nutritional information. It is vital to empower patients with nutritional information and give control of their health in their hands.[52]

Weight management has to be approached from a holistic point of view, and it can not be addressed by physicians alone. It requires an interdisciplinary approach, including physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, nurses, dieticians, health educators, health coaches, and patients' families. It is an integrated model. In inpatient and outpatient settings, nurses can act as educators, educate patients, monitor their diet, physical activity, and compliance, and alert them to watch for any complications. This approach can improve patient insight, understanding, and adherence to dietary intervention.[53]

Obesity treatment is delivered in various settings. It usually starts with self-management based on print and digital media information. This information may not be 100% validated scientifically and may not be accurate. Clinical settings for delivering obesity treatment start from primary care to specialized settings, including weight loss clinics and endocrinology practices. Digital healthcare delivery and monitoring treatment outcomes for obesity should be integrated into the conventional healthcare delivery model. After the COVID-19 epidemic, digital healthcare delivery has become more common. An integrated model for obesity treatment in general and dietary intervention, in particular, should include self-monitoring based on mobile apps with the availability of feedback from a dietitian, nurse educator, clinician, or health coach. Digital health care delivery can also be used to provide counseling for behavioral modification in obesity treatment. A recent randomized control trial involving application-based (app-based, cellular phone application) self-monitoring and provider counseling for obesity treatment in primary care settings demonstrated that participants were more likely to lose more than 5% of their baseline weight with app-based self-monitoring and counseling from providers.[54]