THE TREATMENT AND PREVENTION OF OBESITY - A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

OBJECTIVE: To determine the effectiveness of interventions designed to prevent and treat obesity, and maintain weight loss. DESIGN: A system atic review of randomised controlled trials. SUBJECTS: Overweight and obese adults and children. MEASUREMENTS: Post-intervention changes in weight, fat content and fat distribution, measured relative to baselin e. RESULTS: For obese children, family therapy and lifestyle modificat ion appear to be effective in prevention and treatment, respectively. The effectiveness of interventions to prevent and treat obesity in adu lts remains unclear, although behavioural therapy and multicomponent s trategies may be useful. Continued therapist contact appears to be use ful for maintaining weight loss. Pharmacological interventions appear to be effective for up to 9 months, after which regain occurs. Surgery appears to be effective for the morbidly obese and gastric bypass is more effective than gastroplasty. In general, the methodological quali ty of studies was poor. CONCLUSION: Due to problems with methodologica l quality, it is recommended that research findings indicative of prom ising interventions are replicated.