To Örebro University

AIMS: Overweight and obesity are major public health challenges and well-established risk factors for cardiovascular disease, cancer and premature mortality. We estimated the economic burden of overweight and obesity in Sweden in 2023 and projected the future economic burden in 2040 under alternative scenarios of increasing prevalence.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prevalence-based cost-of-illness approach was used to estimate the economic burden of overweight and obesity in Sweden in 2023 from a societal perspective, including healthcare, social services, pharmaceuticals, productivity losses and informal care. The population attributable fraction method was used to estimate the additional cost burden from overweight and obesity compared to normal weight.

RESULTS: The total economic burden was estimated at approximately EUR 7 billion (EUR 664 per capita), with EUR 2.6 billion from overweight and EUR 4.4 billion from obesity. Productivity losses accounted for 71% of total costs, healthcare costs 21% and pharmaceuticals, informal care and social services 8%. Projections to 2040 suggest that demographic changes alone could increase the burden to EUR 7.2 billion, while rising prevalence could raise it to EUR 8.6 billion. A decrease of one percentage point in obesity prevalence would counteract the demographic effects, resulting in a reduction to EUR 7.1 billion in the projection to 2040.

CONCLUSIONS: The findings highlight the urgent need for effective obesity interventions. Societal strategies promoting healthy lifestyles, targeted prevention and improved access to obesity surgery and evidence-based treatments may reduce the rising prevalence of obesity. Policymakers should weigh short-term costs against long-term savings.

AIMS: Low-energy diet (LED) plus cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) produces substantial short-term weight loss in obesity, but long-term maintenance remains difficult. We evaluated whether adding intragastric balloon (IGB) treatment to group-based CBT improves weight maintenance after initial weight loss using LED.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: In this open-label randomized controlled trial, adults aged 30-65 years with BMI 32.5-45 kg/m2 underwent a 6-month run-in period combining LED and group-based CBT and were subsequently randomized to CBT and 1-year IGB or CBT alone. The primary endpoint was weight change in percent between randomization (6 months from enrollment) and 18 months (from enrollment), compared to total body weight (TBW) at enrollment. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of participants achieving weight loss thresholds, metabolic parameters and health-related quality of life (HRQoL).

RESULTS: Of 126 enrolled (mean 43.7 years; BMI 38.0 kg/m2), 107 were randomized 6 months after enrollment (IGB n = 51; CBT n = 56) and lost -18.7% (SE: 0.64) of TBW. At 18 months, the mean weight change from randomization was 5.2% with IGB versus 10.1% with CBT (p < 0.001). A significantly greater proportion of IGB recipients achieved ≥ 5% (84.3% vs. 63.6%; p = 0.021) and ≥ 10% (70.6% vs. 45.5%; p = 0.013) weight loss after 18 months, compared to the CBT group. Improvements in metabolic parameters and HRQoL showed no between-group differences.

CONCLUSIONS: As an adjunct to group-based CBT and after LED-induced weight loss, IGB treatment provided a modest advantage in weight maintenance for up to 18 months, although safety concerns remain and long-term studies are warranted.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to estimate the 10-year clinical benefits and economic value of weight loss in a Swedish population with obesity using a value of weight-loss simulation model.

METHODS: Data on the prevalence of and costs associated with obesity and obesity-related complications (ORCs) were applied within an adapted simulation model to evaluate weight-loss benefits for a 2023 Swedish population over 10 years. The 10-year incidence of 10 ORCs and treatment costs in a random cohort of 10,000 individuals were estimated for a stable weight scenario and four weight-loss (5%-20%) scenarios.

RESULTS: The model included 887,272 individuals with obesity aged 20 to 60 years. Hypertension (24.1%), asthma (20.9%), dyslipidemia (18.3%), and type 2 diabetes (10.6%) were highly prevalent. For 10,000 individuals, a 5% to 20% weight loss was estimated to prevent ORCs over 10 years, leading to annual savings between 9.0 million Swedish krona (SEK)/€0.8 million (5% weight loss) and 30.0 million SEK/€2.6 million (20%) by 2033.

CONCLUSIONS: Annual treatment costs of ORCs in Sweden will double over 10 years, and weight loss would be associated with significant savings because of the reductions in the incidence of ORCs. Therefore, there is an urgent need to effectively treat obesity to prevent morbidity.

Highlights

•  Internet-delivered obesity treatment can help change lifestyle habits

•  Expectations for weight loss were not met

•  Life circumstances made it difficult to commit to treatment

•  Internet-delivered treatment is not for everyone.

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with stigma and discrimination. Health care providers should approach these patients professionally and without stigma, since treatment of obesity requires a relationship with mutual understanding between the doctor and patient.

OBJECTIVE: To explore how patients and general practitioners (GPs) perceive obesity, using Q-methodology, which allows quantitative analysis of qualitative data.

METHODS: A Q-methodology study, comprising 24 patients with obesity and 24 GPs. We created 48 statements with viewpoints on obesity. All participants sorted these statements in a forced grid with a quasi-normal distribution ranking from -5 (most disagree) to +5 (most agree). Subsequently, factor analysis was performed. Six patients were interviewed to explain their viewpoints.

RESULTS: Analysis yielded 3 dominant groups (factors) of patients: (i) They acknowledge the importance of healthy lifestyle and feel mistreated by health care. (ii) They have a decreased quality of life, but do not blame health care, and (iii) They don't need treatment and don't have an impaired quality of life. For the GPs, the 3 dominant factors were: (i) They have understanding for the patients and feel that health care is insufficient, (ii) They believe that obesity may be hereditary but mainly is a lifestyle problem, and (iii) They believe obesity can be treated but is very difficult.

CONCLUSIONS: Viewpoints on obesity were different, both within and between the groups. Some GPs consider obesity mainly as a lifestyle problem, rather than a chronic disease. If patients and doctors can find mutual viewpoints on obesity, both patient satisfaction and a treatment strategy will be more effective.

Objective: Obesity is associated with reduced health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Outcomes of nonsurgical weight loss treatment on HRQoL are inconsistent and it is unclear how much weight reduction, or what type of treatment, is required for significant improvements. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a lifestyle intervention program on weight, eating behaviors, and HRQoL, and to describe participants' experiences of treatment.

Methods: This 2-year intervention trial in persons with class II or III obesity comprised a 3-month liquid low-energy diet (880 kcal/d) followed by a 3-month reintroduction to regular foods, combined with behavioral group treatment.

Results: Fifty-five participants (73% women) were included, mean (SD) age 43.2 (12.4) years, and mean body mass index 42.0 (6.0) kg/m(2). Mean weight loss at 6, 12, and 24 months was 18.9%, 13.7%, and 7.2%, respectively. Short- and long-term effects on eating behavior were favorable. Twelve of 14 HRQoL domains were improved at 6 months, compared to eight domains at 12 months. After 24 months, 2 of 14 domains, physical and psychosocial functioning, were improved. The treatment program was well accepted by the participants.

Conclusions: Substantial weight loss after 6 months was associated with extensive improvements in HRQoL, comprising the physical, psychosocial, and mental domains. Significant weight regain was observed between 6 and 24 months follow-up. Modest weight loss after 24 months was associated with moderate improvement in physical functioning and large improvement in psychosocial functioning. The effect on psychosocial functioning is most likely related to both weight loss and behavioral treatment.