METHODS FOR VOLUNTARY WEIGHT-LOSS AND CONTROL - UPDATE 1996

The prevalence of obesity increased nearly eight percent over the last decade. In response to the obesity epidemic in the United States, The National Institutes of Health Technology Assessment Conference Panel published ''Methods for voluntary weight loss and control'' in 1993. U nfortunately, in 1996, the evidence suggests that the prevalence of ob esity is still steadily increasing. Current trends predict that most A mericans will struggle with weight problems and obesity in the future. There have been no major advances in the treatment of obesity. Interv entions produce short-term losses followed by weight regain, and no cu rrent treatments appear capable of producing permanent weight loss. Ne wer treatment approaches assume that obesity is a chronic disorder tha t requires a continuous care model of treatment. Social and environmen tal influences on eating and physical activity, along with perceptions of inability to self-control, continually mitigate against maintenanc e of prudent weight management behaviors. Since the etiology of obesit y is multifactorial and can be viewed as an interaction between biolog y and environmental factors, environmental changes and biological inte rventions aimed at correcting genetic and metabolic irregularities wil l be central to any efforts to stem the tide of obesity.