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Cited by 665Bariatric Surgery and OutcomesPharmacology and Obesity TreatmentObesity, Physical Activity, Diet

The DOI matches its Crossref record; 121 of the 121 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.

Systematic review of long-term weight loss studies in obese adults: clinical significance and applicability to clinical practice

Douketis, J D, Macie, C, Thabane, L, Williamson, D F·2005·International Journal of Obesity
DOI 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802982
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Abstract

Background Obesity is a common health problem that requires a long-term care approach. We systematically reviewed long-term (> or =2 y) studies investigating dietary/lifestyle, pharmacologic, and surgical weight loss methods to assess (1) weight loss efficacy, defined by absolute weight loss and the proportion of subjects with > or =5% weight loss, (2) effects of weight loss on cardiovascular risk factors, and (3) applicability of findings from studies to everyday clinical practice.Methods The MEDLINE, HealthSTAR, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials databases were searched for studies investigating the long-term efficacy of weight loss methods in overweight and obese adults. Data were extracted for (i) weight loss after 1 y (pharmacologic studies only), 2 y, 3 y, and 4 y, (ii) proportion of subjects with > or =5% weight loss at the end of follow-up, and (iii) changes (end-of follow-up minus baseline values) in blood lipids, fasting blood glucose, and systolic and diastolic blood pressure.Results Dietary/lifestyle therapy provides <5 kg weight loss after 2-4 y, pharmacologic therapy provides 5-10 kg weight loss after 1-2 y, and surgical therapy provides 25-75 kg weight loss after 2-4 y. Weight loss of > or =5% baseline weight is not consistently associated with improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and these benefits appear to be intervention specific and occur mainly in people with concomitant cardiovascular risk factors. Weight loss studies have methodologic limitations that restrict the applicability of findings to unselected obese people assessed in everyday clinical practice. These limitations include an inadequate study duration, large proportions of subjects lost to follow-up, a lack of an appropriate usual care group, and a lack of reporting of outcomes in high-risk subgroups.Conclusions Dietary/lifestyle and pharmacologic weight loss interventions provide modest weight loss, and may improve markers of cardiovascular risk factors although these benefits occur mainly in patients with cardiovascular risks. Studies investigating weight loss have methodologic limitations that restrict the applicability of findings to obese patients assessed in clinical practice.

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Crossref · 10.1038/sj.ijo.0802982

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Collins R, MacMahon S . Blood pressure, antihypertensive drug treatment on vascular disease: reappraisal of the evidence in 1994. J Vasc Med Biol 1994; 50: 272–298.
  2. ACP Journal Club: purpose and procedures. Available at http://www.acpjc.org/shared/purpose and procedure.htm Accessed December 2003.

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Metadata

Authors
Douketis, J. D., Macie, C., Thabane, L., & Williamson, D. F.
Affiliations
  • McMaster University (CA)
  • Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (US)
Corresponding author
Douketis, J D
ORCID
Venue
International Journal of Obesity
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Published
2005-07-05
Volume
29
Issue
10
Pages
1153-1167
ISSN
  • 0307-0565 (ISSN-L)
  • 1476-5497
DOI
10.1038/sj.ijo.0802982
OpenAlex
W2050986291
Cited by
665
References
121
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 20 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 21 · 2021: 34 · 2020: 30 · 2019: 27 · 2018: 36 · 2017: 35 · 2016: 42 · 2015: 41 · 2014: 55 · 2013: 44 · 2012: 39
FWCI
4.60
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Licence
www.springer.com/tdm (tdm)
Locations
  • International Journal of Obesity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology (medical) › Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
Keywords
obesity, long-term weight loss, weight loss efficacy, bariatric surgery, cardiovascular risk factors, serum lipids, blood glucose, blood pressure, overweight adults
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Aged, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diet, Reducing, Female, Humans, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Weight Loss, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Anti-Obesity Agents

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