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.