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Medscape
14 hours ago
- Health
- Medscape
Peer-Led Weight Loss Maintenance Proves Superior
Can a mentor/peer-led strategy surpass professionally led behavioral weight management sessions in helping patients with obesity maintain weight loss? If the findings of a recently published study are any indication, then the promise of keeping weight off after initial weight loss might be closer than ever. Obesity treatments (eg, bariatric surgery, lifestyle management, and medications like GLP-1s) have been shown in clinical trials and real-life settings to help patients with obesity lose anywhere from 10% to 60% of excess body weight, with added improvements in cardiovascular disease risk factors. Tricia M. Leahey, PhD But these gains are commonly fleeting, Tricia M. Leahey, PhD, lead study author, a professor in the Department of Allied Health Sciences, and director of the Institute for Collaboration on Health Intervention and Policy at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, told Medscape Medical News . 'Regardless of how people lose weight, they tend to regain the weight they lost. It starts quickly after initial treatment, and within 1-3 years, most have returned to their pretreatment weight,' she said. Biology plays a critical role. 'Because of biology — what we call metabolic adaptation to weight loss — the brain is always trying to push people back to their heaviest fat mass, unless they have tools like medicines or surgery,' said Gretchen Aames, PhD, clinical health psychologist and assistant professor of psychology in the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Jacksonville, Florida. 'I think that people underestimate the effort that it takes to keep the weight off,' she said. 'There's also psychology and behavior that's associated with weight management,' said Leahy, who added that continuous care strategies (ie, regular professional contact, skills training, and behavioral and social support sessions that are delivered biweekly and gradually tapered over time) can be costly. From Professional to Peer Support Leahy and her colleagues have conducted several studies examining the potential role that trained mentors (people who have previously faced and overcome a health situation) and 'peer dyads' (patient pairs initiating health behavior change matched to support one another) might play in helping individuals with obesity maintain initial weight loss. Their latest effort was a two-phase, proof-of-concept trial in which participants first received a 4-month online obesity treatment lifestyle intervention that was based on the National Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP). (DPP is a lifestyle change program designed to help prevent or delay diabetes in adults with prediabetes.) In phase 2, participants who achieved ≥ 5% weight loss were randomly assigned to an 18-month patient-provided weight maintenance program (n = 153) or to professionally delivered, 90-minute standard-of-care (SOC) sessions (n = 134) tapered over time. Participants' mean age was 53.6 years, and the majority (83.6%) were women. Patient-directed programs were delivered by two trained mentors who had previously lost ≥ 7% of body weight and kept it off for ≥ 1 year and who held 90-minute group sessions tapered over time. In the first seven sessions, the content was focused on peer training, empathic listening, and sandwich feedback (initiating feedback with a supportive comment, providing constructive suggestions or support, and ending with a supportive comment.) Peers were study participants who were randomly paired by gender and age range (18-30 years, 30-40 years); reciprocal support was composed of weekly progress reports and feedback exchanges delivered by text or email. 'We tried to match participants based on similarity and familiarity (ie, how much peers felt similar to or familiar with one another),' explained Leahey. 'We also did relationship development and induction activities (to create emotional closeness) and avoid conflict,' she said. Participants receiving the mentor/peer intervention were better able to maintain their weight loss compared with SOC participants (mean weight change at month 18: 0.77 [standard deviation, 0.46] kg vs 2.37 [standard deviation, 0.50] kg, respectively) throughout the trial. They also achieved significantly lower cardiovascular measures, namely diastolic blood pressure and resting heart rate, and engaged in significantly more physical activity. Are Mentor/Peer-Delivered Weight Maintenance Programs Ready for Prime Time? 'A lot of people don't have access to these maintenance interventions due to insurance access or availability of trained providers,' said Kathryn M. Ross, PhD, MPH, senior research scientist at Advocate Aurora Health Research Institute, Milwaukee, and author of the accompanying editorial. 'Looking into newer models that have more implementation potential, such as peer and mentor support, has a lot of potential.' Kathryn M. Ross, PhD, MPH 'But we don't know from one study if this is something that is ready to take country-wide in clinical practice,' she said. 'It's also unclear which components of the patient-delivered program are critical for successful implementation.' A key element is training. Leahey emphasized that the researchers continued to refine the training model study by study, eventually landing on factors like age, gender, and empathic listening and feedback strategies that encouraged compassion and cohesiveness. 'I have some patients doing this for me,' said Nida Latif, MD, a family practitioner and obesity specialist running a private practice in Westland, Michigan, and spokesperson for the Obesity Medicine Association, pointing to one in particular. 'She achieved a lot of success (she had bariatric surgery in her 30s and is now in her 60s; she has maintained a BMI of 27-28, from a BMI of 50), she reversed her diabetes and atrial fibrillation and is off all blood pressure medications,' said Latif. Though Latif said that the patient is a great advocate and has taken some of the burden off her shoulders in terms of time and resource utilization, she emphasized the need for professional oversight. 'Every so often, I have to harness her back. She's come so far that she's forgotten how difficult the change process is. I help her understand that it's a slow process. I identify struggles, the importance of helping patients change just one habit over a period of three to four weeks so they become more consistent,' said Latif. 'Even if it's someone who has had success, they need to adjust to whomever they're trying to help. And touch base with me every so often to discuss challenges.' Chronic Disease and Chronic Maintenance An important challenge to weight loss maintenance is the disease itself. Though a chronic illness, obesity is not always accepted as such by physicians or insurers, leaving patients to grapple with weight cycling on their own. Gretchen Aames, PhD 'If you have to leave your biases at the door,' said Aames. 'There are studies that show that the prevailing thought among primary care physicians and nurses is that weight loss is the patient's responsibility: Eat less, move more. Instead, they should take the time to figure out what their patients know, what they've tried, and things that are sustainable,' she said. 'Maybe they need a little bit of coaching and information and can run with it. Others will need more. We don't know enough yet who is the right person for the peer strategy or the critical components of this type of intervention that will help people.' For now, physicians might want to help patients build their own support networks to help them keep on track without having to try to set something up within an already time- and resource-crunched practice, said Ross. Locally run DPP programs (eg, by the Young Men's Christian Association or churches) are a good starting point. The study was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Leahey, Ross, Aames, and Latif reported no relevant financial relationships.
Yahoo
01-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
BreastScreen Australia Density Reporting Rule is a Critical Step for Women says Volpara Health, the Leader in AI-assisted Breast Density Measurement
Volpara software is used to assess the breast density of more than 1 million Australian womenannually WELLINGTON, New Zealand, June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Volpara Health, a Lunit a company and global leader in software for the early detection of breast cancer, today applauded the significant advancement in breast health management with BreastScreen Australia's new position on breast density reporting. This new guidance recommends that all BreastScreen services in Australia provide breast density information to clients, enhancing awareness and understanding of this critical risk factor. A Step Toward More Accurate and Personalised Breast Cancer Screening Volpara's Scorecard software is utilised to measure the breast density of over 1 million women annually across Australia, including in BreastScreen Victoria and BreastScreen South Australia. This comprehensive, AI-driven approach supports physicians in making consistent, objective assessments, helping to ensure that breast cancer risk is more accurately evaluated for each patient. Volpara's volumetric breast density assessment software, including its proprietary Volpara® TruDensity™ AI algorithm, provides consistent and precise breast density measurements. Cleared by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), FDA, Health Canada, and CE-marked in Europe, this technology has been validated in more than 400 scientific articles and research abstracts, underscoring its reliability and accuracy. "We've been collaborating with leading clinicians and researchers worldwide for over a decade to make critical information about breast composition and its link to breast cancer more accessible," said Craig Hadfield, CEO, Volpara Health. "The new guidelines from BreastScreen Australia validate our focus on applying tech and AI advancements to breast density and are a significant step forward in enhancing the experience and understanding for women and their healthcare providers. We encourage women to contact their local healthcare provider and ask how they assess breast density." Understanding Breast Density: A Critical Risk Factor Breast density is an important factor in both breast cancer detection and risk assessment. It has been linked to an increased risk of developing breast cancer, while also making it more challenging to detect cancer through mammography. In Australia, approximately 40% of women have dense breasts, including 12% with extremely dense breasts. As breast density increases, the accuracy of mammography decreases. Research published in Radiology reveals that mammography can miss up to 50% of cancers in women with the densest breast tissue. Since both dense breast tissue and tumours appear white on a mammogram, cancers are often concealed, potentially delaying diagnosis. Studies confirm that early detection rates improve significantly when women with very dense breasts receive additional imaging, such as ultrasound or MRI, as part of their regular screening regimen. The Path Forward: Embracing Personalised Screening Breast density information is also integrated into several risk models, which helps identify women at higher risk of breast cancer who may benefit from supplemental screening. Volpara Scorecard is the only commercial automated software validated for use in both the Tyrer-Cuzick 8 and CanRisk (BOADICEA) riskmodels, providing consistent and robust breast density measurements. With this new guidance, Volpara is poised to play an essential role in supporting risk assessment and personalised screening in Australia, further advancing the goal of improving outcomes for women. The importance of personalised screening has also been recognised by other Australian health bodies, with Medicare recently introducing reimbursement for high-risk breast MRI screening based on Tyrer-Cuzick 8 or CanRisk risk assessment. This marks a growing recognition of the need for tailored breast cancer screening strategies that consider individual risk factors, including breast density. About Volpara Health Volpara Health is on a mission to save families from cancer with AI-powered software that helps healthcare providers better understand cancer risk, guide personalized care decisions, and recommend additional imaging and interventions. Used in over 3,500 facilities by more than 9,500 technologists worldwide. Volpara's software impacts nearly 18M patients, supports over 3.6M annual cancer risk assessments, and integrates seamlessly with electronic health records and imaging systems. Volpara helps radiologists quantify dense breast tissue with precision and technologists produce mammograms with optimal positioning, compression, and dose. Volpara software also streamlines operations to ease compliance and accreditation. Volpara, a Lunit company, is headquartered in Wellington, New Zealand, and has an office in Seattle. Volpara is the trusted partner of leading healthcare institutions globally. For more information, visit Logo - View original content: SOURCE Volpara Health Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data
Al Bawaba
08-05-2025
- Health
- Al Bawaba
Huawei Enhances HUAWEI TruSense System with Distributed Super-Sensing Module, Set to Launch New Health-Focused Wearable in May
Huawei today announced the latest upgrade to its pioneering health and fitness innovation, HUAWEI TruSense System, now enhanced with the new Distributed Super-Sensing Module. This advancement represents a major leap forward in science-based, precise, and comprehensive health management solutions, setting a new industry benchmark since HUAWEI TruSense System's successful debut in 2024. The enhanced HUAWEI TruSense System now integrates fingertip detection capabilities with multimodal signal fusion, extending its monitoring reach from the wrist to the fingertip, an industry-first upgrade aimed at improving accuracy. It also brings a wrist and fingertip detection combination, enabling rapid and accurate measurement. This breakthrough was developed in response to growing global demand for more proactive, real-time health management. Huawei Continues to Lead Wearables Industry with Breakthroughs Huawei entered the health and fitness business 12 years ago and continues to lead the global market. IDC's latest data places Huawei's number one global rank in wrist-worn shipments year-on-year growth. Huawei ranks first in shipments in the global wrist-worn market below US$700 (excluding tax) and has been ranked first in smartwatch shipments in the Chinese market for six consecutive years. Consumers around the world are more health-conscious than ever before, and this has created demand for convenient, comprehensive, and accurate monitoring capabilities. Huawei's response to this demand is a system that integrates all of the company's latest advances in vital sign monitoring. In 2024, Huawei launched the HUAWEI TruSense System, a new digital health & fitness paradigm that's defined by six key characteristics: Accurate, all-around, Fast, Flexible, Open, and Iterable. HUAWEI TruSense measures more than 60 health and fitness indicators, covering six of the body's major health systems, including circulatory, respiratory, nervous, endocrine, reproductive, and muscular. Amongst the indicators is the emotional well-being component, which debuted in HUAWEI WATCH GT 5 Series and HUAWEI WATCH D2. Sensors monitor the user's heart rate and autonomic nervous system data. This data is fed into an algorithm that produces an assessment of the user's emotional well-being and stress levels, to help users enjoy the benefits of both a healthy body and a healthy mind. All-New Distributed Super-Sensing Module The latest update to the TruSense System is a groundbreaking new Distributed Super-Sensing Module, combining wrist-based and fingertip sensing to deliver significantly enhanced health insights. The module utilises optical, electrical, acoustic, and mechanical signals, integrating these multi-modal inputs to dramatically improve the accuracy, speed, and comprehensiveness of health monitoring. The newly implemented Distributed Super-Sensing Module builds on last year's Super-Sensing Module, which has already been recognised by professional institutions for its accuracy in monitoring key health indicators such as blood oxygen, heart rate, blood pressure risk evaluation, etc. Huawei has overcome the space limitations of the watch's bottom, leveraging the advantages of monitoring different parts of the human body. It has deployed more powerful and diverse sensors in a distributed manner. The upgrade enhances sensing capabilities by coordinating data collection from both the wrist and other human body parts, for example, the fingertips. With the fingertip's naturally dense vascular structure and thinner skin surface, interference from melanin and hair is significantly reduced, offering a unique edge in certain scenarios, particularly cardiovascular monitoring. By using the physiological data points, the system captures richer signals across more scenarios, delivering faster, more precise, and more comprehensive health insights. Blood oxygen measurement speed has seen a significant improvement, now capable of detecting changes in real-time, marking another substantial leap in response time. The comprehensive health snapshot feature, Health Glance, now assesses over 10 vital indicators in just 60 seconds. This rapid assessment includes three newly added health metrics for users, namely Heart Rate Variability (HRV), emotional well-being, and ovarian function assessment, delivering a more complete, timely, and user-centric health monitoring experience. HUAWEI WATCH 5: More Details to be announced in May Huawei remains dedicated to pushing technological boundaries in digital health. With ongoing research in advanced health monitoring technologies, HUAWEI WATCH 5 will include the enhanced HUAWEI TruSense System. Users can look forward to the new future-forward smartwatch release on May 15, 2025, in Berlin.
