Weight, body composition and quality of life changes in a Hungarian community-based body weight management program: an observational cohort analysis

TL;DR

A 9-month community-based weight management program in Hungary led to significant and lasting improvements in quality of life and body composition.

Contribution

A newly developed multidomain community-based weight management program with long-term follow-up data up to 33 months.

Findings

Participants experienced a mean BMI decrease of −1.57 kg/m² and a body weight reduction of −4.30 kg over 9 months.

Quality of life improved significantly and remained stable for up to 33 months post-intervention.

Body fat percentage decreased by −3.02 percentage points during the program.

Abstract

Overweight and obesity represent major global public health challenges. We designed a prevention-oriented lifestyle program targeting adults living with overweight or mild obesity, with the primary objective of preventing further weight gain and improving overall health through a multidomain intervention in a real-world community setting.

We retrospectively analyzed data from a non-randomized, prospective observational study. Adults aged 18–65 years (BMI 25–35 kg/m2) motivated to improve their quality of life participated in a 9-month community-based educational program (“Body Weight Management Program”) in a Hungarian township (2015–2022). The intervention consisted of regular medical, nutritional, and psychological consultations, complemented by compulsory individualized physical training. Clinical parameters were assessed at baseline (month 0) and reevaluated at 3, 6, and 9 months, and at 21 and 33 months post-intervention. Quality of life was assessed using the ORWELL-97 questionnaire at baseline, at the end of the active program, and at 21 and 33 months.

Three hundred eight subjects were enrolled (281 women, 27 men; data are presented as mean and quartiles [Q1; Q3]: BMI: 30.5 kg/m2 [28.1; 32.3]). Participant retention declined over time, with 88% at 3-months visit, 67% at 6-months visit, and 68% completing the 9-month program. Long-term follow-up data were available for only a subset of participants. BMI decreased gradually during the intervention with a mean absolute change of −1.57 kg/m2 (95% CI: −1.81 to −1.32) by the end of the program. The corresponding mean absolute body weight reduction was −4.30 kg (95% CI: −4.97 to −3.64), body fat percentage decreased by −3.02 percentage (95% CI: −3.62 to −2.41). Quality of life improved significantly and durably, with the OxR score decreasing by a mean of 76.06 points (95% CI, −89.33 to −62.79) from baseline to the end of the intervention, and the improvement was sustained at 21- and 33-month follow-up.

Participation in our newly developed nine-month program was associated with a marked and durable improvement in quality of life, which was maintained up to 33 months of follow-up. Although the observational design precludes causal inference, the persistence of these improvements suggests a potentially meaningful long-term benefit.

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