Effective UK weight management services for adults

McCombie, L., Lean, M. and Haslam, D. (2012) Effective UK weight management services for adults. Clinical Obesity, 2(3-4), pp. 96-102. (doi: 10.1111/j.1758-8111.2012.00049.x)

Abstract

A number of evidence-based weight management interventions are now available with different models, and serving different patient/client groups. While positive outcomes are key to the decision making process, so too is the information around how these outcomes were achieved, in what population, how transferable the outcomes would be to the population a service would be aiming to cover and at what cost to the service-provider and or the individual. This paper examines all the UK interventions with recent peer-reviewed evidence of their effectiveness in “realistic” settings and cost-effectiveness, in the context of NICE and SIGN guidelines. It concludes that the evidence-based approaches allow intervention at different stages in the disease-process of obesity which are effective in different settings. Self-referral to commercial agencies, by individuals with relatively low BMI and few medical complications is a reasonable first step. For more severely obese individuals (e.g. BMI >35kg/m2) requiring more medically complicated care, evidence is largely lacking for these services, but the community-based Counterweight Programme is effective and cost-effective in maintaining weight loss >5kg up to 2 years for 30-40% of attenders. For more complicated and resistant obesity, referral to a secondary care-based service can generate short-term weight loss, but 12 months data are unavailable.

• Item Type: Articles
• Keywords: Cost-effectiveness; obesity; weight loss; weight maintenance
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Lean, Professor Michael
• Authors: McCombie, L., Lean, M., and Haslam, D.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
• Journal Name: Clinical Obesity
• Journal Abbr.: Clin. Obes.
• ISSN: 1758-8111
• ISSN (Online): 1758-8111
• Published Online: 26 September 2012
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2012 The Authors Clinical Obesity © 2012 International Association for the Study of Obesity
• First Published: First published in Clinical Obesity 2(3-4):96-102
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher