Docs Can Help More in Weight Loss

That's not what the AMA says. (see below)

Office-based strategies for long-term weight loss and maintenance remain challenging and disappointing, and more efforts by clinicians are needed, researchers involved in two studies reported.

In one randomized trial that compared a structured program of lifestyle counseling by nurse practitioners with usual care by primary care physicians, no difference was found in mean weight change between the two groups after three years (−1.2% versus −0.6%, P=0.37), according to Nancy C.W. ter Bogt, MSc, of University Medical Center Groningen in the Netherlands, and colleagues.

Yet, in the second study, U.S. patients who had simply been told by their physicians that they were overweight or obese were more likely to have tried to lose weight in the previous year (OR 2.51, 95% CI 2.15 to 2.94 and OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.74 to 2.88, respectively), according to Robert E. Post, MD, of Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, and colleagues.

Note: "tried to lose weight."

This is different from having lost weight.

And here is what the AMA had to say about the effectiveness of physicians re: weight loss:

Traditionally, physicians have counseled patients to change habits by sharing facts about health and illness (informational power) and/or using their professional credentials (expert power). However, research shows that these means of persuasion are not effective for promoting the lasting behavior changes needed for successful weight management.

This is from Booklet Three of the AMA's Roadmaps for Clinical Practice dealing with overweight/obesity.

Believe that the advice of physicians is not helpful.