Remote Treatment Successfully Delivers a Usual Care Weight Loss and Lifestyle Intervention in Adults with Morbid Obesity

Research output: Contribution to journalResearch articleContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Martin Fischer - , Klinikum St. Georg Leipzig (Author)
  • Thure Weimann - , Research group digital health (Author)
  • Nadine Oberänder - , Klinikum St. Georg Leipzig (Author)
  • Lena Schupitza - , Klinikum St. Georg Leipzig (Author)
  • Jana Hösel - , Klinikum St. Georg Leipzig (Author)
  • Arved Weimann - , Klinikum St. Georg Leipzig (Author)

Abstract

Introduction: Remote delivery of behavioral and lifestyle interventions has shown a great potential for achieving weight loss comparable to in-person treatment. However, little is known about its effects on adherence and efficacy in a real-world setting. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our usual care, a 12-month treatment program for morbid obesity, had to be transitioned to remote delivery. We evaluated whether this had adverse effects on weight loss or adherence. Methods: We report retrospective data of 234 patients who belonged either to a cohort affected by the transition of treatment delivery (N = 117, mean age = 44.2 years; BMI = 47.7 kg/m2) or to an individually matched control group treated prior to the pandemic (N = 117, 44.4 years; 47.3 kg/m2). Weight loss, dropouts, and attendance were compared between both groups and between remote and regular treatment periods. Results: Weight loss and the number of dropouts did not differ between the two groups and between treatment periods. However, attendance at remotely offered meetings was lower in the pandemic group (72.5%) when compared to the same meetings offered face to face in the control group (81.0%, p < 0.001). Discussion/Conclusion: Usual care weight loss and lifestyle interventions for morbid obesity can be successfully delivered via remote treatment.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)328-335
Number of pages8
JournalAnnals of Nutrition and Metabolism
Volume78
Issue number6
Publication statusPublished - 1 Dec 2022
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

PubMed 35977461

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

Keywords

  • eHealth, Lifestyle intervention, Obesity, Telehealth, Telemedicine, Weight loss