Obesity
Dietitians work with patients in a structured and patient-centered way to enable sustained healthy changes to diet and lifestyle supporting long-term weight management success and cost effective treatment.[1]
An average dietetic outpatient appointment costs £30 versus approximately £600 per hospital admission[2] thus, investing in dietitians is an example of the value of low cost/high-benefit interventions.[3]
Preventing an increase of one BMI point in as little as 4% of a consortia’s overweight population represents a potential annual cost saving of approximately £60,000.[4]
[1]Haynes et al (2012) Long-term cost-effectiveness of weight management in primary careInt J Clin Pract, May 2010, 64, 6, 775–783
[2]Curtis, L. (2009). Unit costs of health and social care 2009. Kent: Personal Social Sciences Research Unit.
[3]Fordham, R. and Martin, A. (2010) How to maximise your marginal gains. Health Service Journal [online] 12 January 2011. Available at: www.hsj.co.uk/resource-centre/best-practice/how-to-maximise-your-marginal-gains/5022878.article#.U1jdi_ldXTo [Accessed 6 June 2014, subscription needed]
[4]Counterweight Project Team (2005). Obesity impacts on general practice appointments. Obesity Research 13 (8): 1442-1449.
