Aims and objectives: To describe overweight persons' experiences with weight reduction and participation in the dietary advice on prescription.

Background: Approximately 20% of overweight individuals are able to successfully lose weight. Experiences from earlier weight reduction programmes indicate that those who succeed typically manage to avoid overeating to handle stress and have high motivation to lose weight. Those who fail have low self-control and engage in negative health behaviours such as eating when experiencing negative emotions and stress.

Design: The study used adescriptive qualitative design and was conducted at a Primary Health Care Centre in south-west Sweden.

Methods: The first nineteen study participants who completed the weight reduction programme in two years responded in writing to five open questions about their experiences with the programme. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis.

Results: The participants appreciated the face-to-face meetings with the nurse because they felt seen and listened to during these sessions. They also felt their life situations and self-discipline had an impact on how well they were able to follow the programme. Dietary advice on prescription advice was considered to be helpful for achieving behavioural changes and losing weight. People who succeeded in sustainably losing weight described the importance of support from partners or close friends.

Conclusions: To achieve sustainable weight reduction, it is important to individualise the programme in order to address each person's life situation and the unique difficulties they may encounter.

Relevance to clinical practice: Motivational interviewing appears to be a good technique for developing a successful relationship between the nurse and the patient. The dietary advice on prescription advice was perceived to be a good way to improve food habits and can easily be used at many Primary Health Care Centres. Patient's partners should also be offered the opportunity to participate in the programme.

© 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.