Recommended therapeutic guidelines for professional weight control programs

At the present time there are no established guidelines to serve as standards for the operation of weight control programs. This increases the possibility that some programs may be conducted in a fashion that is unethical, jeopardizes patient health, and lacks credibility. As a first step toward developing such standards, a panel was organized by the International Congress on Obesity to describe minimum recommended features of professional weight control programs. The present report served as a supporting document for the summary statement and describes recommended guidelines for the treatment of obesity encompassing diet, physical activity, and behavior modification with psychological support. The role of drugs and surgery is not considered in this report. For the average patient it is suggested that three components of therapy--diet, exercise, and behavioral/psychological support--be prescribed together since they are closely interrelated, interdependent and mutually supportive.