Weight, body composition and quality of life changes in a Hungarian community-based body weight management program:...

Overweight and obesity represent major global public health challenges. We designed a prevention-oriented lifestyle program targeting adults living with overweight or mild obesity, with the primary objective of preventing further weight gain and improving overall health through a multidomain intervention in a real-world community setting.

We retrospectively analyzed data from a non-randomized, prospective observational study. Adults aged 18-65 years (BMI 25-35 kg/m²) motivated to improve their quality of life participated in a 9-month community-based educational program ("Body Weight Management Program") in a Hungarian township (2015-2022). The intervention consisted of regular medical, nutritional, and psychological consultations, complemented by compulsory individualized physical training. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline (month 0) and reevaluated at 3, 6, and 9 months, and at 21 and 33 months post-intervention. Quality of life was assessed using the ORWELL-97 questionnaire at baseline, at the end of the active program, and at 21 and 33 months.

Three hundred eight subjects were enrolled (281 women, 27 men; data are presented as mean and quartiles [Q1; Q3]: BMI: 30.5 kg/m² [28.1; 32.3]). Participant retention declined over time, with 88% at 3-months visit, 67% at 6-months visit, and 68% completing the 9-month program. Long-term follow-up data were available for only a subset of participants. BMI decreased gradually during the intervention with a mean absolute change of -1.57 kg/m² (95% CI: -1.81 to -1.32) by the end of the program. The corresponding mean absolute body weight reduction was -4.30 kg (95% CI: -4.97 to -3.64), body fat percentage decreased by -3.02 percentage (95% CI: -3.62 to -2.41). Quality of life improved significantly and durably, with the OxR score decreasing by a mean of 76.06 points (95% CI, -89.33 to -62.79) from baseline to the end of the intervention, and the improvement was sustained at 21- and 33-month follow-up.

Participation in our newly developed nine-month program was associated with a marked and durable improvement in quality of life, which was maintained up to 33 months of follow-up. Although the observational design precludes causal inference, the persistence of these improvements suggests a potentially meaningful long-term benefit.