TOS publishes unprecedented level of obesity research

The Obesity Society (TOS) took the next step to advance the treatment of obesity by publishing an unprecedented level of obesity research, in print and online, as a supplement to its July and August issues of the Obesity journal: Guidelines (2013) for Managing Overweight and Obesity in Adults: Full Report. Now, the print version of the supplement is available for purchase as a reference guide for obesity treatment.

In November 2013, TOS joined the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology to release the long-awaited obesity treatment guidelines, which were a condensed executive summary of this larger, comprehensive expert panel report.

"This is the first systematic evidence review to address critical questions in obesity, and provides the health care community with all of the background that went into the abbreviated, summarized version initially released," says Donna Ryan, M.D., Obesity Journal associate editor-in-chief and professor emeritus at Louisiana State University's Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, La. "We are making the full guidelines available in print so they can serve as a go-to resource for health practitioners around the world. Whether you are a physician, nurse, nutritionist or fitness trainer, every professional interacting with individuals with obesity can find value in this insightful treatment guide."

TOS is the only organization making an added investment to advance the treatment of obesity by distributing the full edition of the guidelines in print (nearly 500 pages) to its journal subscribers and others. Anyone who wishes to purchase a copy of the print guidelines may do so via the Obesity journal storefront.

According to a preface co-authored by Dr. Ryan who co-chaired the panel of experts who reviewed the evidence, and Martica Heaner, PhD, Obesity managing editor, this report "represents a landmark in the field by virtue of the stringent methodology and painstaking approach used to produce evidence statements that are trustworthy."

Further, the editors point out key messages from the review and answer frequently asked treatment questions including:

• Who needs to lose weight?
• How much weight do you need to lose to improve health profiles?
• Which diet is the most effective for weight loss?
• Is diet and exercise the best way to lose weight?
• How can weight loss be maintained?
• Who should receive bariatric surgery?

One of the many key messages included in the guidelines is the importance of physical activity for weight loss.

"Diet alone is not the answer," says Dr. Heaner. "When combining diet with exercise, individuals can achieve more effective weight loss, added reduction in fat (including visceral fat), minimized loss of lean body mass, and a higher likelihood of sustained weight loss."

The release of the full report comes at a time when consumers frequently turn to bogus "miracle" weight loss products, rather than to health care providers trained in obesity treatment and prevention.

"Americans continue to search for effective weight loss solutions, and are often duped by ineffective, unproven treatments," continues Dr. Heaner. "This guidelines report is unlike any other publication available for clinicians, and provides the scientific evidence that backs what really works."

Prior obesity guidelines were released by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and TOS in 1998 and 2000, respectively. Since the time of those publications, there have been major advancements in obesity research that have broadened the understanding of the best methods for managing excess body weight. This latest systematic evidence review examined cutting-edge research literature from 1999 to 2011.

For other important key messages in obesity treatment and prevention, read the full guidelines here, or find out more about ordering a print copy here.