Very Low-Calorie Diet – Healthcare Professional Course

Dietitians, Doctors, Nurses & other interested registered healthcare professionals

Online Course

COURSE CONTENT: 

• What is a very low-calorie diet Programme?
• Benefits of a VLCD Programme
• Inclusion & Exclusion Criteria for a VLCD Programme
• How to Implement a VLCD Programme
• The Next Phases of a VLCD Programme
• Exercise & a VLCD Programme

This course incorporates information from the latest guidelines in obesity management and aims to optimise the treatment of individuals with overweight / obesity. 

It offers various learning formats, from individual readings to recorded presentations, which can be watched at leisure. This Course also forms the foundation for future master classes on the use of VLCDs.

On completion of this course, Healthcare Professionals should be able to: 

• Identify VLCD as an option for weight-loss in the management of obesity (excess adiposity).
• Advocate why a VLCD should be administered under medical supervision as part of a multidisciplinary team approach.
• Illustrate that a VLCD offers an evidence-based approach that can be used as part of the management of several obesity-related co-morbidities.
• Describe the potential that a VLCD has on medication doses and number of drugs needed
• Evaluate the use of a VLCD in applicable clients, based on the evidence and profiles of study participants.
• Identify the inclusion and exclusion criteria for a VLCD.
• Be able to apply a VLCD appropriately in practice.
• Plan how to safely implement a VLCD.
• Implement a VLCD intervention according to the ‘5A’ approach, minimising stigmatisation.
• Screen potential clients for psychological or eating disorders and refer to a psychologist or psychiatrist if necessary.
• Optimise the time of the Intensive Phase to explore and improve the client’s relationship with food.
• Apply behavioural intervention strategies during the Initial Phase of the VLCD.
• Focus on improved health and well-being and not just the loss of excess adiposity / weight. 
• Identify when it would be suitable to transition from the Intensive Phase to the next phases and finally to weight maintenance.
• Identify barriers to successful long-term weight maintenance and approaches to support the client to overcome these barriers.
• Discuss the role that physical activity provides for weight maintenance.
• Explain the influence of physical activity on appetite.
• Provide recommendations for the quantity and intensity of physical activity during all Phases of a VLCD.
• Produce practical tips on how to implement the recommended amount and intensity of physical activity.

Pre- & post-Module formative assessment MCQ’s and summative assessment MCQ’s

Each Module will have 5 pre- and post-Module questions (which will be the same, to evaluate if you have improved their knowledge). Participants need to achieve a minimum score of 80% to progress to the next Module. If you don’t achieve 80%, you need to re-do the Module content and the Post-Module Assessment. If this process is unsuccessful twice, a mandatory coaching session will be provided before another attempt can be made. Once you do achieve 80%, you can move onto the next Module.

Case studies will be available for each module, to assist with guiding participants applying the knowledge they have gained. This will need to be completed to progress to the next Module.

A summative assessment consisting of 10 questions for each module (60 in total) will be available at the end of the course. These questions will be more difficult than the pre- & post-module assessment questions and aim to test overall knowledge gained.

Association for Dietetics in South Africa (ADSA)

DT/A01/2023/00020

23 clinical points

Complete all Modules and Module tasks and then complete the Summative Post-Course Assessment (Mandatory) with a minimum score of 80%.

If this process is unsuccessful 2 times, a mandatory coaching session will be provided before another attempt can be made.