Dietitians' perspectives on key components relevant for successful dietetic treatment of adults with obesity in primary health care: a qualitative study in the Netherlands

Background: Dietetic treatment of adults with obesity can result in effective weight loss with health improvements. However, it remains unclear which components of dietetic consultation are key for successful treatment of individual patients. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore dietitians' perceptions of key components relevant for successful dietetic treatment of adults with obesity in primary health care in the Netherlands. Methods: In this phenomenological study, semistructured interviews were conducted with 18 dietitians who have experience in treating adults with obesity in primary care. Validation of interview data was performed through two focus group discussions with 14 dietitians. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data. Results: Four main themes were identified: (i) building a good relationship; (ii) identifying patient needs; (iii) supporting behaviour change and (iv) providing advice. Dietitians highlighted the relevance of building a good relationship with their patients and emphasised adopting a counselling role alongside their role of educator. They also recommended the use of educational materials, counselling techniques and behaviour change strategies (e.g. goal setting, self-monitoring, addressing barriers) to address specific patient needs, such as health literacy, self-efficacy and motivation. Conclusions: This study demonstrates that dietitians perceive the ability to build a trusted relationship, in which patient needs are properly explored and addressed, as the key to successful dietetic treatment of adults with obesity. Our findings emphasise the importance of the dietitian's approach in this process and show that patient factors influence the choice of appropriate treatment approaches.