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28
WEIGHT CONTROL CLINIC
Dr. Phyllis M. Mortimer, School Medical Officer
The Weight Control Clinic continues to develop and provide a much
needed service, although, in terms of numbers of new patients treated,
the past year has been less rewarding than the first two.
During this year one new group has been established and a further
one will have started by the end of the year. To make time available for
these, progressive amalgamation of groups has been necessary; this has
been accomplished satisfactorily as many of the girls in the original groups
have now left school and others have achieved satisfactory weight reduction
and left the clinic. There are still a few girls who seem unable to lose
weight in spite of regular attendance; in some cases this is due to lack of
motivation but in others to lack of parental support. These girls pose a sofar
unsolved, problem but the nutritional re-education they receive at the
clinic will benefit them in later life. The pattern of meetings has continued
unchanged but the scope of activities has been increased to include drama
(the girls enact scenes written for them which demonstrate nutritional fallacies)
and talks from outside speakers.
The two school Weight Control Groups have also continued to meet
during lunch hours this year. The majority of girls who attend regularly
have lost weight satisfactorily and our aim is now to expand these groups
to include the large numbers of girls at these schools who would benefit
from this treatment.
The main change during the year has been a change in group leadership
during my temporary absence. One of our Health Visitors, Mrs. Hoskin,
has been running the clinics and I am extremely grateful for all she has
done so successfully. I should also like to thank the staff of the Health
Education Department for all the help they have continued to give Mrs.
Hoskin and myself.