Weight problems are common all over the globe. In fact, it is a known fact that more than 35 percent of Americans are overweight or obese. As people become more health and fitness conscious, weight loss programs and methods have become increasingly popular. A new study found that drugs and surgeries yielded highest customer satisfaction among other weight loss methods.
"Drug treatment and bariatric surgical procedures should be considered an integral part of weight management for eligible patients to achieve better treatment satisfaction, which may in turn help patients achieve and maintain better long-term weight loss," said Z. Jason Wang, PhD, the study's principal investigator, in a press statement.
For the study, researchers analyzed data from more than 39,000 respondents to the 2012 National Health and Wellness Survey. This included 22,927 obese adults, among which 50 percent were women, the remaining were overweight individuals that had at least one weight-related health problem. Researchers found that 58.4 percent of obese people were not currently taking any steps to lose weight. Among the ones resorting to weight loss methods, 2.3 percent said they used weight loss surgery or prescribed medication to shed those extra pounds. The remaining 39.3 percent of obese individuals were using self-modification methods diet, exercise, weight management programs, and over-the-counter weight loss drugs or supplements.
Researchers found that 39.3 percent of the first group reported complete satisfaction from their adopted weight loss method compared to 20.2 percent in the second group. Similar findings were observed among overweight individuals. Approximately 44.4 percent from the first group reported full satisfaction compared to 19.7 percent of participants who used self-modification.
Findings were presented at the International Society of Endocrinology and the Endocrine Society in Chicago. The study was funded by the Health Economics and Outcomes Research at Eisai in Woodcliff.
