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PURPOSE: To describe three commercial weight loss programs (Jenny Craig, LA Weight Loss, and Weight Watchers), including efficacy data when available, and to provide clinicians with information for patient counseling. DATA SOURCES: Personal interviews, journal articles, and Web site information. CONCLUSIONS: Commercial weight loss programs provide weight loss services. Benefits are experience, planned menus, and psychological support. Limitations are cost, sales promotions that encourage on-the-spot commitment to prepaid contracts, and the cost of program food and additional vitamins. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Weight loss is a necessary goal for many patients. Clinicians are mandated to provide counseling regarding weight loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reviews of pictorial faces scales used for pediatric health assessment have found that simpler scales are needed for use with young children. Most participants were able to correctly sort the faces in the hypothesized order (n=29, 87.9%); more than half of participants (n=19, 57.6%) correctly matched each response option to each face. Participants had the most difficultly matching the fourth response option "a lot [of hurt/itchy]" to Face 4; however, almost two-thirds of participants (n=21, 63.6%) correctly matched the response option to the face. [Extracted from the article]