Inpatient intensive lifestyle intervention for the treatment of severe obesity: beyond the weight reduction, and experiences with physical activity

Abstract

The recent increase in the prevalence of severe obesity has led to an urgent need for non-surgical treatment options and increased focus and priority on lifestyle interventions specifically targeted toward this obesity population. Previous studies have shown that intensive lifestyle interventions may cause clinically meaningful weight loss the first year post treatment for patients with severe obesity. However, few studies have “gone beyond the weight reduction” and investigated changes in body composition, eating behavior, psychological factors and health related quality of life (HRQL) following an inpatient treatment program with high volume of physical activity. There is also a lack of qualitative research exploring the participant’s experiences with physical activity during and following these lifestyle modification programs. The aims of this thesis were therefore to describe and evaluate an already existing inpatient program for the treatment of severe obesity, in relation to changes in body composition, eating behavior, psychological factors and HRQL, as well as to explore the participant’s experiences with physical activity prior to, during and following the treatment program.

Paper I: Mæhlum S., Danielsen K.K., Heggebø L.K., Schiøll. The Hjelp24 NIMI Ringerike obesity clinic: an inpatient programme to address morbid obesity in adults. Br J Sports Med 2010.

Paper II: Danielsen K.K., Svendsen M., Mæhlum S., Sundgot-Borgen J. Changes in Body Composition, Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors, and Eating Behavior after an Intensive Lifestyle Intervention with High Volume of Physical Activity in Severely Obese Subjects: A Prospective Clinical Controlled Trial. Journal of Obesity 2013

Paper III: Tatt ut av filen i Brage p.g.a. copyright-restriksjoner. / Not in the file in Brage because of copyright issues.

Paper IV: Danielsen K.K., Sundgot-Borgen J., Rugseth G. Severe Obesity and the Ambivalence of Attending Physical Activity - Exploring Lived Experiences. Submitted to Qualitative Health Research.