A nurse is working with a group of patients. One patient states,"My goal is to reduce my weight from 280 pounds to 230 pounds in 6 months." What response by the nurse would be most appropriate for this patient?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Safe weight loss should be about 10% of body weight in 6 months (ie,28 pounds for this patient). A loss of 50 pounds in 6 months is unsafe for this patient. Advising the patient to aim for a weight loss of 80 pounds in the first 6 months is less realistic than a reduction of 50 pounds and may harm the patient. Weight loss of more than 20 pounds in 6 months is not dangerous,because it falls within the guideline of 10% of body fat (ie,28 pounds for this patient).

A Nurse Is Working with a Group of Patients