SUN-700 Efficacy Of Medical Group Visits Vs. Dietitian-led Visits For Weight Loss In Obese Patients: A 12-month Randomized Trial In A Safety Net Setting

Abstract Disclosure: M. Shaheen: None. P. Duran: None. D. Pan: None. F. Ramirez: None. M. Nemeth: None. M. Lee: None. T.C. Friedman: None. Obesity represents a significant public health challenge in the United States, disproportionately affecting under-resourced minority populations. The Los Angeles County Department of Health Services (LAC-DHS) primary serves indigent, minority patients of whom a substantial proportion are obese and manage related medical conditions. While Medical group visits have been employed effectively for managing chronic conditions, their efficacy as an intervention for obesity remains underexplored. The study evaluated the efficacy of medical group visits compared to dietitian-led visits (standard of care) in a safety net health care setting using a 12-month randomized trial. A total of 290 adults with average age of 48.5 ± 10.6 years (83.1% female) were recruited from LAC-DHS Martin Luther King Jr. Outpatient Obesity Clinic and randomized into two groups: medical group visits (n=218) and individualized dietitian-led visits (n=72). Changes from baseline in weight (lbs), Body Mass Index (BMI), hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), total cholesterol, HDL, LDL, triglyceride, quality of life (Physical Component Summary [PCS] and Mental Component Summary [MCS]) and food intake were analyzed using Mann Whitney U test and Chi square test with statistical significance set at p-value < 0.05. At baseline, there were no significant differences in demographic characteristics and other variables between the groups (p>0.05). However, medical group visits resulted in significantly greater reductions in weight (lbs), BMI, HbA1c, total cholesterol, and triglyceride levels (p<0.05). The Medical group showed greater improvements in weight loss, BMI reduction, lower levels of total cholesterol, HbA1c, and triglyceride compared to the dietitian-led group (p<0.05). About 75% of the medical group lost ≥5 Lbs compared to 50% in the dietitian-led group (p=0.001). No significant differences were observed between groups in food intake or quality of life indicators (p>0.05). Within-group analysis indicated that weight loss correlated with reduced levels of LDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels in the dietitian-led group (p<0.05) and with lower HbA1c, triglyceride, and improved mental health score (MCS) in the medical group (p<0.05). The results indicated that the medical group visits were more effective for weight loss among obese patients in an inner-city setting demonstrating significant improvements in weight loss, BMI, lipid profile and HbA1c levels compared to the dietitian-led group. Grants: R24DA017298, U54MD007598, S21MD000103, UL1TR001881 Presentation: Sunday, July 13, 2025