The Current Counterweight Programme
The Counterweight Programme is an evidence based weight management programme for adults. It is a novel continuous improvement programme which involves clinical primary care staff participating in a competency based training and mentoring process.
Counterweight promotes behavioural strategies which seek to change eating habits, activity levels, sedentary behaviours and thinking processes that contribute to a person being overweight or obese. The programme provides an active weight loss phase for 3 to 6 months followed by long term weight loss maintenance. Therefore patients are learning the best way to lose weight and keep it off, which is an important part of any weight loss programme. Counterweight uses a structured approach to care and an interactive model of communication which is critical to empowering patients.
There is flexibility as to how the programme can be implemented, including in the type of weight management service preferred and the interventions which are offered. On-going review of outcomes and continuous improvement enables Counterweight to be modified and improved over time.
