Long term maintenance of weight loss with non-surgical interventions in obese adults: systematic review and meta-analyses of randomised controlled trials.

Abstract in brief

• This review analyzed multiple randomized trials to evaluate how effective different interventions are in maintaining weight loss in obese adults, focusing on strategies like behavioral changes and medication treatments.
• Behavioral programs targeting both diet and physical activity helped maintain an average weight difference of about 1.56 kg after 12 months, while the medication orlistat, especially at higher doses, also improved weight maintenance but with more gastrointestinal side effects.
• The findings suggest that combining behavioral interventions or higher-dose orlistat can be effective for long-term weight loss maintenance, though side effects should be considered, and more research is needed to optimize approaches.