Self-reported receipt of healthcare professional’s weight management counselling is associated with self-reported weight management behaviours of type 2 diabetes mellitus patients

BACKGROUND: Weight loss has been shown to influence the health outcomes of type 2 diabetes patients. Providing weight management counselling to diabetes patients may help them adopt appropriate weight management behaviours to lose weight. This study determined the association between self-reported receipt of healthcare professional’s weight management counselling and the weight management behaviours of type 2 diabetes patients. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted among 378 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients seeking care from two hospitals. Using a questionnaire, participants’ weight management behaviours were assessed as well as receipt of healthcare professional’s weight management counselling. RESULTS: Half (51.3 %) of the participants reported receipt of healthcare professional’s weight management counselling in the last 12 months. Half of the participants ever tried to lose weight. Fewer than half of the participants reported modifying their dietary habits (45.5 %) or engaging in exercise (48.7 %) to lose weight. Those who reported receipt of weight management counselling were more likely to report ever trying to lose weight (AOR 43.0, 95 % CI 23.0–81.6; p < 0.001), modifying their dietary habits (AOR 22.5, 95 % CI 13.0–39.19; p < 0.001), and engaging in exercise (AOR 13.0, 95 % CI 7.8–21.7; p < 0.001) to lose weight. CONCLUSION: Participants engaged in varied weight management behaviours. Receipt of health care professionals’ weight management counselling was associated to participants’ reported participation in weight management behaviours. Weight management counselling from health care professionals may support the adoption of weight management behaviours in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients.