Jean Nidetch died a few years ago at age 91. Remember her? Over fifty years ago she created a revolution in the bariatric world when she founded Weight Watchers (r) (hereinafter "WW.") Whatever one may think of WW's diets or other features over the years, the WW model was remarkably successful in helping millions of people lose weight. Its model of regular meetings and other supports is now applied in other chronic disease settings as well, and I submit that this is a model that could be applied to address osteopenia/osteoporosis.
I would propose something along similar lines called Bone Builders (BB). (Or a similar name if that is already covered by copyright or trademark).
WW meetings, held weekly in convenient locations, were led by trained lay people, and charged a small meeting fee. The meeting model was a lecture by the leader, followed by opportunities for individuals to air their success and problems, and receive applause, ideas and encouragement from others in the group. Group members were asked to maintain individual food intake records in notebooks provided for this purpose. Individual weekly "weigh ins" conducted with privacy at meeting sites allowed members to keep this record of their progress.
All of these except the last would be easily replicable in a BB group setting.
BB lectures could be by qualified professionals, not only M.D.s, but dietician, exercise professionals and others, followed by opportunities for participants to as questions, and air their successes and problems.
BB could offer the many demonstrated advantages of social support in chronic disease settings (and I would submit that osteopenia/osteoporosis is a chronic disease affecting a large population), allowing participants to feel less alone and to get new ideas and constant encouragement in a guided setting about nutrition and exercise.
Just a thought from someone who really could have used this years ago when it could have made a world of difference!
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