Alternative Viewpoint on National Institutes of Health Clinical Guidelines

The use of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Guidelines to guide assessment and treatment of overweight and obese patients is the source of considerable debate. The guidelines rely, in part, on research with methodological problems. The standard treatments for obesity outlined in the...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of nutrition education 1999-03, Vol.31 (2), p.116-118
Main Authors: Herrin, Marcia, Parham, Ellen, Ikeda, Joanne, White, Adrienne, Branen, Laurel
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adults
Body Composition
Body Weight
Guidelines
Health education
Nutrition
Obesity
Citations: Items that this one cites
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Summary:The use of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Clinical Guidelines to guide assessment and treatment of overweight and obese patients is the source of considerable debate. The guidelines rely, in part, on research with methodological problems. The standard treatments for obesity outlined in the Guidelines have not proven to be successful long term. Evidence suggests obesity may be a result of biochemical defects, not eating and exercise patterns. Dieting, one of the recommended treatments, is a known risk factor for development of an eating disorder. Further, there is no conclusive evidence that weight loss improves health outcomes. Nutrition education professionals need to develop approaches that improve health independently of weight loss for Americans seeking to lose weight.
ISSN:0022-3182
1499-4046
1708-8259
DOI:10.1016/S0022-3182(99)70406-1