Endocrinology
Obesity, Pharmacological and Surgical Treatment
July 2004
Clinical Focus*
- What is the evidence that pharmacotherapy is effective in weight loss and maintenance of weight loss?
- Are certain agents more effective than others?
- Do certain populations (e.g., gender- or age-related, racial/ethnic populations) benefit more from different agents?
- What is the optimum amount of time to treat, and what is the optimum level of weight loss to target? Do optimum amount of time to treat and optimum levels of weight loss differ according to a patient's age? Gender? Racial/ethnic population?
- What are the most effective non-pharmacological, non-surgical treatment approaches (e.g., individual versus group; specific dietary regimens in conjunction with other therapies; alternative medicine)?
- What is the safety and efficacy of surgical therapies, such as stomach stapling and bypass surgeries, as interventions for children and adolescents with morbid obesity?
*Addressed in the summary or evidence report.
Pharmacological and Surgical Treatment of Obesity
Summary (Publication No. 04-E028-1, July 2004)
Evidence Report (Publication No. 04-E028-2, July 2004)
(PDF Files; File Download)
Managing Obesity: A Clinician's Aid
EPC: Southern California-RAND Evidence-based Practice Center
Topic Nominators: American College of Physicians, American Society of Internal Medicine, and the American Academy of Pediatrics
Return to Quick Menu: Evidence Report Topics
Return to Evidence-based Practice