Meal replacement therapy for obesity and diabetes remission: efficacy assessment and considerations of barriers and facilitators to adherence among U.S. individuals with low economic resources.

Individuals in the United States with lower economic resources face a disproportionate burden of obesity and co-morbid conditions. This review summarizes the efficacy of MR programs for the treatment of obesity and diabetes and alerts clinicians to potential barriers and facilitators to the uptake of such programs so they may tailor their prescriptive approach. Implementation of effective behavioral and lifestyle interventions for obesity and diabetes in low-income settings is fraught with barriers and under-studied. The dearth of data on the use of MR programs in populations with low economic resources highlights a key area for future investigation.