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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

Multidisciplinary Approach to Obesity Management: A Case Report
Published on: May 30, 2025
A motivation-focused weight loss maintenance program is an effective alternative to a skill-based approach
D S West1, A A Gorin, L L Subak
1Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 7205, USA. WestDelia@uams.edu
A new motivation-focused weight loss maintenance program proved as effective as standard skill-based methods. This approach offers an alternative for sustained weight management, addressing challenges in obesity treatment.
Area of Science:
- Obesity research
- Behavioral science
- Public health
Background:
- Weight loss maintenance is a significant challenge in obesity treatment.
- Decreased motivation often leads to abandoning effective weight management behaviors.
- Novel interventions targeting motivational factors are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate a novel weight loss maintenance program focused on motivational factors.
- To compare the effectiveness of a motivation-focused program against a standard skill-based approach.
- To assess long-term weight maintenance in overweight women with urinary incontinence.
Main Methods:
- Randomized controlled trial involving 338 overweight women.
- Participants received initial lifestyle obesity treatment followed by randomization to either a motivation-focused or skill-based maintenance program.
- Weight was assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 18 months.
Main Results:
- Both motivation-focused and skill-based maintenance groups achieved comparable 18-month weight losses (-5.48% vs -5.55%, P=0.98).
- Both intervention groups demonstrated significantly greater weight loss compared to the control group (-1.51%, P<0.0021).
Conclusions:
- A motivation-focused maintenance program is an effective alternative to traditional skill-based approaches.
- This study expands the range of evidence-based interventions for weight maintenance.
- Motivational strategies can be successfully integrated into obesity treatment programs.
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