Abstract

“Not to broach the subject of excess weight with a patient is a dereliction of duty as a healthcare professional,” say the authors of Fast Facts: Obesity. “Patients who smoke are rapidly identified for intervention, and the same should be true of anyone who is obese” Every consultation is an opportunity to educate and encourage patients to pursue better health. Fast Facts: Obesity is packed with practical advice on how best to support patients to improve their nutrition and levels of physical activity, and change their habits, with simple and achievable goals tailored to individual needs and concerns. This highly readable handbook also provides a comprehensive overview of: • the causes and consequences of obesity • the latest information on pharmacological and surgical options • the issues specific to the management of obesity in children, pregnant women and the elderly. The authors say: “The opportunity to educate others and exert influence can be leveraged at many levels, even with limited amounts of time.” Reading Fast Facts: Obesity is an excellent starting point for any healthcare professional who wants to understand this major threat to human health and ultimately improve outcomes.
Our verdict on Fast Facts: Obesity is a definite thumbs up, as it recognises the importance of the messenger as much as the message. It will aid health professionals in raising the often touchy subjects of weight and lifestyle in a sensitive and motivating way, rather than one which may feel critical or demotivating to the patient. In so doing it will support professionals to make every contact count and give them the tools and confidence to address weight issues, rather than avoid them for fear of embarrassment or rejection. It also rightly emphasises behaviour change as a key pillar of successful weight loss. This critical but often overlooked aspect of obesity management underpins any successful attempt to improve diet or increase activity, and we highly recommend reading this handy little primer. Kim Roberts, HENRY CEO (Health Exercise Nutrition for the Really Young), July 2014 A full review by HENRY can be found here: http://www.henry.org.uk/henry-asked-review-fast-facts/
“This engaging read provides comprehensive yet concise answers to pretty much every question you may have about the ever-increasing issue of obesity and how to help your patients tackle it effectively. … However, the choice between the different types of surgery in different situations may not be as cut and dried as portrayed.”
Dr Sally Norton, Consultant, Upper GI and Bariatric Surgery, North Bristol NHS Trust
“… a comprehensive resource in a concise format … This little book is a useful desktop resource to be read alongside the latest NICE guidance, ideal for those of us working in primary care, but also those in secondary care who are interested in this topic."
Professor Mike Kirby
"If you want a one-stop shop for tackling obesity, guiding patients and remaining positive, then this is the book for you. It is a brilliant concise resource that you will continually dip into for stimulus and support." Marilyn Eveleigh, Nurse Consultant and Adviser to Nursing in Practice, UK
“An excellent resource that I will use with my patients in weight management clinics. The graphics are excellent; I think the picture on the back page is brilliant.” Sister Pam Mount RGN, Practice Nurse, Blythe Practice, West Midlands, UK