Treatments
Obesity treatments range from simple diet & exercise programs to surgical intervention.
Non-surgical options
- Diet
- Exercise
- Diet & exercise in combination
- Behavioural therapy
- Pharmacology (medications including phentermine, diethylpropion, orlistat & sibutramine)
Non-surgical options are only moderately effective for long term weight loss2
| Weight loss | Duration of follow-up | |
| Diet & lifestyle | ≤5 kg | 2-4 years |
| Drug therapy | 5-10 kg | 1-2 years |
| Surgery | 25-75kg | 2-4 years |
No treatment at all
| Treatment | Weight loss/gain over 1-2 years1 | Weight loss/gain over ≥2 years1 | Ability to prevent weight regain?1 |
| No treatment | Average loss 0.2kg | Average gain 1.9kg over 3-6 years | No |
Surgical options
There are three main types of weight loss (or bariatric) procedures conducted in Australia. These are
- Gastric bypass
- Non-adjustable gastroplasty
- Adjustable gastric banding (the LAP-BAND® System)
Of the three main types of bariatric surgery performed in Australia, the LAP-BAND® System has been used in 95%3 of cases to date & 60,0003 Australians have chosen to lose weight by this method.
According to the National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) the most effective method of losing excess weight, maintaining that weight loss & improving or reversing obesity-related life threatening illnesses such as heart disease & type 2 diabetes is surgery1.
Find out more about Obesity:
References
- NHMRC, Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Overweight and Obesity in Adults, National Health and Medical Research Council, Australian Government, Canberra, 2003
- Douketis JD, et al, Systematic review of long-term weight loss studies in obese adults: clinical significance and applicability to clinical practice. International Journal of Obesity 2005; 29:1153-67
- Requested Medicare items processed for item numbers 30511, 30512 and 30518 in 2009.