Data collection
This was a retrospective cohort study analyzing data from the electronic medical records of all patients who attended this program from October 1, 2018 to January 31, 2021. The inclusion criteria included age 18 years and older, BMI = or >30, and at least one valid follow-up visit in the program. Exclusion criteria patients younger than 18, BMI<30, only baseline visit or no valid follow-up visits in the program. The study was approved by the University of Connecticut Internal Review Board.
Outcomes: 5% or 10% weight reduction was calculated based on the time for the first and the last valid visits.
Explanatory variables: A valid follow-up visit was defined as a follow-up visit within 90 days after a first visit. The visits were considered as new visits if they were outside this consecutive 90-day period. Patient’s longest, continuous visits where were less than 90 days between visits) was used to calculate for the number of valid visits, which was then categorized into 2-3, 4-5, and 5+ visits. In addition, the secondary outcome was the continuous days a patient stayed in the program.
Other covariates include age, gender, comorbidities (listed above), and medications (listed above) were assessed and documented at each visit and included in the analysis. Hemoglobin A1c was obtained when available.