A short-term cognitive group treatment program gives substantial weight reduction up to 18 months from the end of...

To describe and evaluate long-term efficacy (18 months from the end of treatment) of a new cognitive short-term weight reducing treatment program for obese patients.

One hundred and five obese [Body Mass Index (BMI) > or = 30] patients participated in the study. Of these, 62 took part in the treatment program and 43 served as controls.

From an obesity unit's waiting list, the patients were randomly assigned to either a treatment group or remained in the waiting list to serve as a control group. The treatment group participated in a 10-week (30 hours) cognitive group treatment program. All participants were weighed at the outset of the study, directly after treatment and at a 6-, 12- and 18-month post-treatment follow-up without any booster treatment after the 10-week program.

Fifty-seven (92%) patients completed treatment. For the 34 (60%) patients who participated in the study 18 months after treatment was terminated, the mean weight loss at treatment's end was 8.5 kg (SD=16.1). Eighteen months later their mean weight loss was 10.4 kg (SD=10.8). The control patients (n=31.72%) that participated in the study during the same period increased in weight by 2.3 kg (SD=7.0). The weight difference between the treatment and control group at the 18-month follow-up was highly significant (p<0.001).

The cognitive group treatment program was highly acceptable among the participants and was completed by nearly all the patients. The 10-week treatment program resulted in satisfactory weight loss. The weight difference between the treatment group and controls was nearly the same at 18 months after end of treatment as at six months. The study, therefore, does not provide support for the contention that a lengthy therapy for obesity is necessary if treatment results are lasting.