Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34138917›Full record

ArticlePloS one2021

Dietary adherence and program attrition during a severely energy-restricted diet among people with complex class III obesity: A qualitative exploration.

Gabrielle Maston, Janet Franklin, Samantha Hocking, Jessica Swinbourne, Alice Gibson, Elisa Manson, Amanda Sainsbury, Tania Markovic

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in PloS one, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
1.6field-weighted citation impact, top 15% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 14 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. The Acceptability and Experiences of Participating in a Preoperative Intentional Weight-Loss Programme From Diagnosis to Surgery for Colorectal Cancer.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2026
    Trial
  3. [Clinical effects of postoperative management based on health promotion strategy on weight control and symptom improvement in patients with OSAHS].Lin chuang er bi yan hou tou jing wai ke za zhi = Journal of clinical otorhinolaryngology head and neck surgery · 2026
    Trial
  4. Trial
  5. Trial
  6. Beneficial Effects ofJournal of obesity · 2026
    Article
  7. Article
  8. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Gabrielle MastonThe Boden Collaboration for Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-3847-1508
Janet FranklinMetabolism & Obesity Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Samantha HockingThe Boden Collaboration for Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Jessica SwinbourneMetabolism & Obesity Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Alice GibsonMenzies Centre for Health Policy, School of Public Health, Faculty of Medicine and Health, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Elisa MansonMetabolism & Obesity Services, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
Amanda SainsburySchool of Human Sciences, Faculty of Science, The University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, Australia.
Tania MarkovicThe Boden Collaboration for Obesity, Nutrition, Exercise & Eating Disorders, Charles Perkins Centre, The University of Sydney, Camperdown, NSW, Australia.
The University of Sydney · AURoyal Prince Alfred Hospital · AUThe University of Western Australia · AU

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Meal replacement Severely Energy-Restricted Diets (SERDs) produce ≥ 10% loss of body mass when followed for 6 weeks or longer in people with class III obesity (BMI ≥ 40 kg/m2). The efficacy of SERDs continues to be questioned by healthcare professionals, with concerns about poor dietary adherence. This study explored facilitators and barriers to dietary adherence and program attrition among people with class III obesity who had attempted or completed a SERD in a specialised weight loss clinic. Participants who commenced a SERD between January 2016 to May 2018 were invited to participate. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted from September to October 2018 with 20 participants (12 women and 8 men). Weight change and recounted events were validated using the participants' medical records. Data were analysed by thematic analysis using line-by-line inductive coding. The mean age ± SD of participants was 51.2 ± 11.3 years, with mean ± SD BMI at baseline 63.7 ± 12.6 kg/m2. Five themes emerged from participants' recounts that were perceived to facilitate dietary adherence: (1.1) SERD program group counselling and psychoeducation sessions, (1.2) emotionally supportive clinical staff and social networks that accommodated and championed change in dietary behaviours, (1.3) awareness of eating behaviours and the relationship between these and progression of disease, (1.4) a resilient mindset, and (1.5) dietary simplicity, planning and self-monitoring. There were five themes on factors perceived to be barriers to adherence, namely: (2.1) product unpalatability, (2.2) unrealistic weight loss expectations, (2.3) poor program accessibility, (2.4) unforeseeable circumstances and (2.5) externalised weight-related stigma. This study highlights opportunities where SERD programs can be optimised to facilitate dietary adherence and reduce barriers, thus potentially improving weight loss outcomes with such programs. Prior to the commencement of a SERD program, healthcare professionals facilitating such programs could benefit from reviewing participants to identify common barriers. This includes identifying the presence of product palatability issues, unrealistic weight loss expectations, socio-economic disadvantage, and behaviour impacting experiences of externalised weight-related stigma.

Indexed as

Patient CompliancePatient DropoutsCaloric RestrictionFeeding BehaviorFemaleHumansMaleObesityQualitative ResearchRetrospective StudiesWeight Loss

Identifiers

PMID34138917
PMCPMC8211265
OpenAlexW3167980017

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.