Endocrinologist’s Weight Loss Breakthrough: New Approach Works
- PATHWEIGH is a structured program developed by endocrinologist Leigh Perreault, MD, and colleagues to directly address weight management within primary care settings, moving beyond standard diet and exercise...
- Leigh Perreault, MD, a professor of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, became concerned that routine medical care often failed to...
- Perreault stated, "There was a moment I put my face in my hands and thought, 'What am I doing?'" highlighting her frustration with treating symptoms without addressing the...
PATHWEIGH: A New Approach to Weight Management in Primary Care
Table of Contents
PATHWEIGH is a structured program developed by endocrinologist Leigh Perreault, MD, and colleagues to directly address weight management within primary care settings, moving beyond standard diet and exercise advice.
progress and Motivation
Leigh Perreault, MD, a professor of endocrinology, metabolism and diabetes at the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine, became concerned that routine medical care often failed to adequately address weight management, frequently relying on generalized recommendations. She observed that many medications prescribed to patients treated symptoms rather than the underlying issue of weight, and believed addressing weight could alleviate other health concerns.
Perreault stated, “There was a moment I put my face in my hands and thought, ‘What am I doing?'” highlighting her frustration with treating symptoms without addressing the root cause.
Implementation and Scale
PATHWEIGH introduces dedicated clinic visits focused specifically on weight-related care, rather than attempting to incorporate it into standard appointments. The program was implemented across all 56 UCHealth primary care clinics throughout Colorado with funding from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The pilot program included 274,182 patients, making it one of the largest randomized trials conducted in the field of weight management.
The NIH provided funding for the PATHWEIGH rollout, demonstrating support for innovative approaches to weight management.
Results and Impact
A study published in Nature Medicine by Perreault and her team demonstrated that PATHWEIGH reduced population weight gain by 0.58 kg over 18 months. More considerably, the program shifted the overall trend from consistent weight gain to weight loss.
According to the published results, this outcome has major implications for public health, suggesting a scalable and effective method for addressing a widespread health concern.