Go to the page content

Lifestyle intervention and obesity management

What we cover:

The complexities of the pathophysiology of obesity

According to the World Health Organisation, obesity is a chronic disease caused by a multifactorial aetiology including genetic, metabolic, behavioural, psychological and environmental factors.1,2 These factors together with the pleasure we derive from food (hedonic factors) can all influence energy balance, which in turn can lead to weight gain.3 Once established, powerful neuro-hormonal factors effectively defend the body against weight loss, thereby often making obesity a lifelong problem, where weight regain (or relapse) is the rule, rather than the exception.3

Metabolic adaptations to weight loss

Our bodies are programmed to respond to weight loss with weight regain.3-7 Weight loss alters the body's homeostatic system,8 which controls appetite, energy intake and energy expenditure, causing the body to increase hunger and lower the metabolic rate – this process is known as metabolic adaptation.8,9

Maintaining weight loss is challenging

A review of 14 long-term studies showed that one to two thirds of people with obesity regained more weight after weight loss achieved by dieting.10 Furthermore, the ACTION IO study* found that  81% of people with obesity have engaged in one or more serious weight loss attempts; however, only 11% were able to maintain a 5% weight loss for one year or more. 11

Adapted from Mann T, et al. Am Psychol. 2007;622(3):220–233.

Why diets alone don't work

Maintaining weight loss is challenging for people living with obesity, and findings such as that from the ACTION IO study show that patients living with obesity would like to have a conversation about their weight.11
To understand what the effective strategies for obesity management are, we need to consider physiological, psychological and biological factors of obesity. Although lifestyle intervention continues to be key in the management of obesity, increasingly patients require pharmacological adjuncts in order to achieve or maintain weight loss.12 It is also crucial to understand the multiple systems involved in the pathophysiology of obesity, and interventions to tackle these could be essential in providing lasting weight loss.

Download our 'Sustaining weight loss can be hard' leaflet below to help educate your patients about the potential challenges of effective weight management and share it with medical colleagues to support their daily practice. 

 

 

 

 

*The Awareness, Care and Treatment in Obesity MaNagement – an International Observation (ACTION IO) Study is the first international study to investigate barriers to obesity management among people with obesity and healthcare professionals in 11 countries worlwide. A total of 14,502 people with obesity and 2,785 healthcare professionals completed the survey.11

Access further information and resources about Novo Nordisk treatments

References

  1. World Health Organisation. Obesity and Overweight. [Updated March 2024].  Available at: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/obesity-and-overweight (Accessed August 2024).  
  2. Sanyaolu A, et al. Glob Pediatr Health. 2019;6:2333794X19891305.
  3. Gadde KM, et al. Am Coll Cardiol. 2018;71(1):69–84.
  4. Schwartz A, Doucet E. Obes Rev. 2010;11(7):531–547.
  5. Sumithran P, Proietto J. Clin Sci (Lond). 2013;124(4):231–241.
  6. Rosenbaum M. Liebel RL. Int J Obes (Lond). 2010;34(Suppl 1):S47–S55.
  7. Rosenbaum M, et al. Brain Res. 2010;1350:95–102.
  8. Greenway FL. Int J Obes (Lond). 2015;39(8):1188–1196.
  9. Lenard NR, Berthoud HR. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2008;16(Suppl 3):S11–S22.
  10. Mann T, et al. Am Psychol. 2007;62(3):220–233.
  11. Caterson ID, et al. Diabetes Obes Metab. 2019;21:1914–1924.
  12. Jiménez EG. Endocrinol Nutr. 2013;60(1):17–24.
Was this valuable for you?
 

Related articles

You are now leaving Rethink Obesity®

 

The site you are entering is not the property of, nor managed by, Novo Nordisk. Novo Nordisk assumes no responsibility for the content of sites not managed by Novo Nordisk. Furthermore, Novo Nordisk is not responsible for, nor does it have control over, the privacy policies of these sites.

Go to page

The information on this website is intended for healthcare professionals. If you are a healthcare professional and have not received the password, please e-mail Novo Nordisk Medical Information at nzlccc@novonordisk.com 

The password is incorrect. If you are a healthcare professional, please contact nzlccc@novonordisk.com for the password