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Maintenance of weight loss after obesity treatment: is continuous support necessary?
1Abteilung Klinische Psychologie, Psychologisches Institut, Johannes Gutenberg-Universität Mainz, Staudingerweg 9, 55099, Mainz, Germany. leibbran@mail.uni-mainz.de
Objective:
This study examined outcome differences of 109 obese subjects, who participated in a 10-week cognitive-behavioral inpatient treatment followed by either a weight maintenance program or a follow-up period without professional support.
Methods:
Self-rated weight loss, eating behaviors, and general psychopathology were assessed several months before treatment, when subjects were admitted, at discharge, and at the 6-, 12-, and 18-month follow-ups. Structured interviews for mental disorders and eating pathology were conducted additionally.
Results:
The mean weight of the sample at baseline was 127 kg. Weight loss of the total sample amounted to 8.0 kg (6.3%) and was completely maintained during the follow-up period. Significant reductions of eating and general psychopathology were observed at the 18-month follow-up. The outcome in the maintenance condition did not significantly differ from the outcome in the control condition.
Conclusions:
Weight regain after obesity treatment is not inevitable, but continuous patient-therapist contacts do not distinctly improve treatment effects.