Severely obese patients who have lost significant amounts of weight by changing their diet and exercise habits may be as successful in keeping the weight off long-term as those individuals who lost weight after bariatric surgery, according to a new study.
While weight loss and maintenance were comparable between the two treatments, patients who relied on non-surgical methods had to work harder over a longer duration to maintain their weight losses, say researchers from The Miriam Hospital’s Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine.
“Our findings suggest that its possible to maintain large weight losses through intensive behavioral efforts, such as changing your approach to eating and exercise, regardless of whether you lost weight with bariatric surgery or through non-surgical methods,” says lead author Dale Bond, PhD, of The Miriam Hospital’s Centers for Behavioral and Preventive Medicine.
“Behavioral modifications and lifestyle changes are critical components to long-term weight loss maintenance.”
Researchers matched each surgical patient with two non-surgical patients through the National Weight Control Registry. All participants – 315 total – lost an average of 124 lbs and had maintained their weight loss for an average of 5.5 years at the beginning of this two-year study.
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