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News
Telemedicine shared medical appointments (SMAs) helped patients with obesity continue losing weight even after 18 months in a weight-loss program — a phase when progress typically stalls. A 12-month study found participants shed an additional 4.47 kg on average, with improvements in blood sugar and triglyceride levels too. Virtual group care may be a practical tool for sustaining long-term obesity management.
Losing weight is hard — keeping it off is even harder. A new study suggests that telemedicine shared medical appointments (SMAs) could be a key tool for patients with obesity who are well into their weight-loss journey and hitting the dreaded plateau. Researchers at UCLA's David Geffen School of Medicine found that patients who had already been in an obesity program for nearly 18 months continued to shed pounds over the following 12 months through weekly virtual group sessions.
The model combined a one-on-one video consult with a board-certified obesity medicine physician, followed by weekly virtual group classes led by both a physician and a registered dietitian. Of the 109 participants (mean age 62.4; 81% women), 64% attended five or more sessions.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Obesity care is chronically underused and hard to access. This study shows that virtual group visits can extend meaningful weight loss and metabolic improvements beyond the early phase — offering a scalable, accessible model for long-term obesity management.
