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Evidence summaries

Health Gains from the Treatment of Obesity

Treatment of obesity appears to be beneficial in patients with some obesity-related diseases, but there is no evidence of the effectiveness of obesity prevention or treatment of obesity in other patients in the long-term. Level of evidence: "B"

A systematic review 1 was abstracted in DARE. The authors concluded that there is no evidence for the effectiveness of obesity prevention or obesity treatment in the long term (beyond 2 years) except for a small proportion of people who receive dietary or surgical treatments. In patients with obesity and selected obesity-related diseases (diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, hyperlipidaemia or obstructive sleep apnea) weight reduction has been shown to improve symptoms in the short term and to reduce the need for drug therapy for the related diseases.

Comment: The quality of evidence is downgraded by indirectness of evidence (the failure of treatments to reduce obesity in the long-term)

    References

    • Douketis JD, Feightner JW, Attia J, Feldman WF. Periodic health examination, 1999 update: 1. Detection, prevention and treatment of obesity. Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care. CMAJ 1999 Feb 23;160(4):513-25. [PubMed]

Primary/Secondary Keywords