Non-surgical weight loss treatments for obesity include very low calorie diets, exercise, behavior modification and drug therapy, used alone or in combinations.
Low-calorie Diets
Very low-calorie diets have recently been thought to have great success in the treatment of severe obesity. These diets generally consist of 400 to 800 calories a day in a liquid or solid form. Weight loss between 40 to 50 pounds over 12 weeks can usually be expected. Unfortunately, without a behavior modification program to go along with the diet, most people regain most of weight lost within one or two years.
Behavior Modification Programs
Behavior modification programs are based on the belief that if habitual eating and physical activity behavior can be re-learned, long-term weight loss will be more successful. Behavioral programs are generally combined with some calorie restriction in the diet. This combined approach has been successful in some programs, but lacks evidence of long-term success in the treatment of clinically severe obesity.
OSU Medical Center’s behavior modification programs include Living Well and
LEARN. For more information about Living Well, call (614) 293-2800 or (614) 293-7024 for the LEARN program.
Exercise
Exercise is an important part of weight loss programs. However, the actual effect of increased physical activity in promoting weight loss has not yet been established. Exercise is probably more important in keeping weight off than in losing it.
Drug Therapy
Drug therapy for the treatment of obesity has been disappointing. Some drugs that decrease appetite can result in short-term weight loss, but once the drugs are discontinued, the weight loss is often difficult to maintain and therefore short lived. Drugs like amphetamines or thyroid hormones are not safe and should never be used as treatment for obesity. Using non-surgical weight loss methods may result in acceptable weight loss in patients with clinically severe obesity, but success is often limited. In the vast majority of obese patients, non-surgical approaches have been unsuccessful in keeping weight off permanently.
