title: Medical strategies for weight loss in the overweight and obese patient.
abstract: In recent years, obesity has become a major public health problem in Western countries. The World Health Organization has defined obesity as a global epidemic of the third millennium. Treatment options for weight management include dietary intervention, physical activity, behavior modification, pharmacotherapy and surgery. However, the complexity of this chronic condition necessitates a coordinated multidisciplinary team-approach to the care of obese patients who fail weight control. The long-term duration of the treatment and the necessity of monitoring compliance and effectiveness should be considered. The objective of this article was to review the major controlled randomized clinical trials dealing with the different medical strategies for weight loss and its maintenance in overweight and obese patients.
authors.affiliation: Surgical Weight Management Center, Istituto Mediterraneo per i Trapianti e Terapie ad Alta Specializzazione, University of Pittsburgh, Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Di Caro
authors.forename: G G
authors.initials: GG
authors.lastname: Hamad
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Fernstrom
authors.forename: P R
authors.initials: PR
authors.lastname: Schauer
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bonanomi
mesh_terms: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001067:Appetite Depressants / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003503:Cyclobutanes / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015444:Exercise; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007783:Lactones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008019:Life Style; D009765:Obesity / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D000077403:Orlistat; D050177:Overweight; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011788:Quality of Life; D016032:Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic; D012307:Risk Factors; D013997:Time Factors; D015431:Weight Loss
chemical_list: D019440:Anti-Obesity Agents; D001067:Appetite Depressants; D003503:Cyclobutanes; D007783:Lactones; D000077403:Orlistat; C058254:sibutramine