LightCOM – Frequenty Asked Questions
These frequently-asked questions relate to the LightBAR, LightCARE and LightWAY trials. Please check which trial you have been invited to. You can only take part in LightBAR, LightCARE or LightWAY if you have been invited to that trial.
Contents
- Health Coaches
- What is Health Coaching?
- How long will the Health Coach appointments be and can I do them outside of work hours?
- Will I have the same health coach each appointment?
- The Combined Treatment
- What is the diet for this programme?
- Has ethnic and cultural diversity been taken into account when designing the diet?
- How do I know if I qualify for the medication and what type is the study using?
- Will there be any side effects from the diet or the weight loss medication?
- What is the physical activity programme?
- What support will I get from my health coach and GP?
- Do I need to pay for the intervention/combined treatment?
- I'm not sure about stopping my blood pressure/blood glucose medication...
- LightCARE
- LightWAY
- LightBAR
Health Coaches
What is Health Coaching?
Professional health coaches help people to change their lifestyle to improve their health. They are experts in behaviour change. They help people to understand what’s important to them to support people to change their behaviour.
How long will the Health Coach appointments be and can I do them outside of work hours?
Appointments can last anywhere from 10-30 minutes. The coaches work a variety of hours and days including weekends, so there should not be an issue with finding appointment times that will work for you. Generally, appointments are available from 8am-8pm on most days.
Will I have the same health coach each appointment?
As far as possible, you will have the same health coach with you for the entire programme. However, sometimes unavoidable things that happen that mean you might have to have appointments with a new health coach, for example, if they are off sick or on holiday.
The Combined Treatment
What is the diet for this programme?
At the start we will ask you to try a programme involving diet replacement products. These are soups, shakes and meals that you’ll eat instead of your normal food. They have all the nutrients your body needs but only give you around 700-800 calories per day, which means they will help you to start losing weight fast. These products will be free and sent to you at home, at regular intervals. The products have vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options available.
Some people may have tried some meal replacement products before. In this study we will provide products that are used in Scandinavia but which are new to the UK. In addition, you will have a personal health coach to provide extra support. Your health coach has experience in helping many people to lose weight in this way. They can suggest modifications if you find the diet challenging. Most people tell us that this support makes all the difference
After about 12 weeks of using these products, your coach will help you to return to a ‘real food’ diet. They will provide you with help and support to choose healthy foods to maintain your weight loss.
The health coaches may recommend weight-loss medication for some people to help them stick to the diet programme.
Has ethnic and cultural diversity been taken into account when designing the diet?
People can talk to their health coach about how to make the diet work for their personal situation and food preferences. The Liva health coaches already work in NHS programmes, so they have had training and experience in helping people from a range of ethnic and cultural backgrounds to lose weight successfully.
How do I know if I qualify for the medication and what type is the study using?
Your health coach has a set procedure on when to offer you weight loss medication, to make sure that people aren’t given medication if it isn’t right for them.
Your health coach will be able to advise if weight loss medication may be suitable for you and to help know when it may be of most benefit. Their aim is to help you find what works best for you. For some people diet alone will be sufficient, other people may benefit from medication too.
If the health coach thinks it may be helpful to offer you weight loss medication, they will talk to you about whether you want to use it. You will then talk to the prescribing doctor at Liva about which medication would work best. Ultimately the prescribing doctor at Liva will decide if it’s appropriate to prescribe the medication, and which medication to give you, based on what has already been approved by the NHS.
The weight loss medications that we will use in the study will be those that are already approved for weight management in the NHS.
Will there be any side effects from the diet or the weight loss medication?
In this trial we will only use medication that has already been approved for weight loss treatment in the NHS. As with any medication, you might experience side effects from taking it. If you do experience side effects, you’ll have support from your health coach and healthcare team in how to manage them. If you don’t want to take the medication for any reason, you do not need to do so. You will have the support of your health coach whatever you decide to do. Their aim is to help you find what works best for you.
What is the physical activity programme?
Your health coach will encourage you to increase the amount of walking you do and, if you are able to do so, to increase the amount of other physical activity you do too. They will talk to you about it and help you find a way of doing more physical activity that works best for you.
What support will I get from my health coach and GP?
Your health coach will work with you at each stage. They will help you with anything you’re finding difficult to try and find a solution that works. If you find it hard to stick to the diet or experience side-effects from any medication you’re given as part of the combined treatment, they will give you advice to try to overcome your difficulties. Liva Healthcare have an in-house GP dedicated to the LightCARE treatment. They will prescribe any weight-loss medication, and the health coaches can talk to them about any medical concerns. They have worked with clinicians from the research team in developing training for the health coaches, and will be on hand to give medical advice to the health coaches.
Your GP will still be responsible for the rest of your medical care, just as they normally do. Liva will communicate with your GP to make sure you’re being looked after well while you’re in the programme.
Do I need to pay for the intervention/combined treatment?
No. Any weight-loss treatment recommended to you by your coach will be provided free of charge. The total diet replacement products and weight loss medication are completely free for participants in this research study.
I’m not sure about stopping my blood pressure/blood glucose medication…
When people change their diet and lose weight it can improve their blood pressure and blood glucose, so we have to alter these medications to make sure that your blood pressure and blood glucose do not drop too low so the programme will be safe for you. This is normal practice within the NHS for the sort of diets you will use in LightCARE. If you are using this kind of medication, we will also give you a monitor so that you can keep track of your blood pressure or blood glucose at home. The health coach will remind you to keep monitoring, and they will give you advice if there is anything you are concerned about.
LightCARE
This information is only relevant for you if you have been invited to the LightCARE study.
If I am not assigned to the combined treatment group, what are the options in my area?
This varies across the country, so your GP will talk to you about what the options are to help you manage your weight, and refer you to the best option for you.
Depending on what is available in your area, this may be a group course that runs in your community; a digital programme using an app; or you may be offered the opportunity to see a dietitian. Whatever you are referred to, this will be free and you will not pay for anything.
LightWAY
This information is only relevant for you if you have been invited to the LightWAY study.
If I am not assigned to the combined treatment group, what are the options in my area? -
This varies across the country, so your GP or hospital will talk to you about what your options are, and refer you to the best option for you.
If you have been invited to take part in LightWAY by your hospital, this could mean being referred to their specialist weight management service. What specialist weight management looks like can be different at different hospitals, but it will usually involve support from health care professionals such as doctors who specialise in weight management, psychologists/counsellors, physiotherapists, or specialist dietitians/nutritionists. This may be individual appointments or as part of a group.
If you have been invited to take part in LightWAY by your GP, this could mean being referred to your local hospital’s specialist weight management service. Or your GP may refer you to another programme that is available in your local area, such as a specialist programme for people with type 2 diabetes.
LightBAR
This information is only relevant for you if you have been invited to the LightBAR study.
Why do I have to lose 5% of my weight before being entered into LightBAR?
Normally, before people are offered weight loss surgery or medicines to help them lose weight they will have already used a specialist weight loss service. Some people taking part in this study may not have been offered this kind of support previously so we want to make sure that everyone has been given this support before they begin other more intensive programmes.
In addition, this is an international study with participants from both the UK and Denmark. In Denmark, people have to lose some weight before they are allowed to have weight loss surgery, therefore, to make sure that everything is the same in both the UK and Denmark, participants in the UK will also have to lose some weight so that we can combine the results from people in both countries and reach the conclusion of the study more quickly.
Will I get any help to lose the 5% body weight?
Yes, if you would like help. Liva healthcare will be able to offer you advice to help you to lose weight. This support will be via their app, where a health coach will speak to you individually up to 4 times over 12 weeks, and other information will be available on the app. If you have previously succeeded in losing weight on your own you are free to use the same methods again.
If I’m randomised to the combined treatment, can I still have surgery after doing LightBAR?
Yes. Being involved in LightBAR combined treatment programme does not mean that you can’t have surgery in future. However, you will not be eligible for surgery in the first 2 years. After this, if your hospital considers you to be eligible for surgery, you will be able to join their waiting list.
What surgery will I have?
Everyone who is considering taking part in LightBAR will speak to a surgeon and a nurse before they say yes to being in the study. They will talk to you about what the surgery will be, you can ask them any questions you like about the surgery. To take part in the study the surgeon must consider you would be eligible for surgery and you need to be sure that you would be happy to have surgery or to have the alternative non-surgical treatment.