New interdisciplinary cognitive-behavioural-nutritional approach to obesity treatment: a 5-year follow-up study.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this prospective case-control study was to assess the long-term effectiveness of interdisciplinary cognitive-behavioural-nutritional therapy, combined with daily physical exercise and relaxation sessions, on weight and psychosocial issues during a 6-week in-hospital stay.

SETTING

Five years (60 +/- 1 months) later, the patients were readmitted for a one-day medical evaluation including a physical examination and laboratory work-up, and the completion of a detailed questionnaire focusing on dietary and psychosocial factors that may affect weight loss/regain.

SUBJECTS: The follow-up population consisted of 55 morbidly obese subjects aged 49.5 +/- 2 years (45 females and 10 males; BMI: 40 +/- 0.7 kg/m2). During their initial 6-week in-hospital stay, they lost an average of 7.6 +/- 0.4 kg.

RESULTS

Five years later, 25.5% of the patients had lost a further 11.9 +/- 1.8 kg, 20% maintained their initial weight loss (0.6 +/- 0.4 kg), and 54.5% regained weight (10.4 +/- 1 kg). The weight changes significant correlated with the degree of psychosocial difficulties (p < 0.001), eating behaviour problems (p < 0.001), dietary fat intake (p < 0.005) and total energy intake (p < 0.05). Fasting plasma insulin and blood glucose concentrations were significantly higher in the patients who regained weight after five years, and significantly lower in those who had lost more weight.

CONCLUSION

As a whole, these results show the efficacy of an interdisciplinary approach to the long-term treatment of morbidly obese patients. It is likely that an outpatient psychological follow-up would have improved this therapeutic success.