Effectiveness of dietary intervention for obese women in Jordan

Objective: The aim was to evaluate the outcome of body weight loss consulting in an outpatient nutrition clinic. Methods: Forty-five adult females attended 10 individualized treatment one-to-one sessions. Weight and height were measured and the body mass index was calculated. Triceps, biceps, subscapular and suprailiac skinfold thickness were measured and the fat percentage was calculated. A hypocaloric diet was given to the women; the percentages of carbohydrate, protein and fat in the diet were kept between 50 and 55% for carbohydrates, between 15 and 20% for protein, and ≤ 30% of fat. Results: Average weight loss was 7.4 kg, which was 8.4% of initial. Class III obese subjects achieved the highest weight loss (-9.4 kg). Weight loss was statistically significant after week 1, week 2, week 3, and week 4 (P > 0.001). The body mass index was significantly decreased (P > 0.001). The mean fat percentage was not significantly different. Conclusions: The results indicate the increasing importance of nutrition counselling in Jordan.