Closing the Gap in Behavioral Weight Loss Therapy: Prospective Analysis of Clinical Real World Data of a Four-Year Health Insurance-Financed Program

Our four-year interdisciplinary behavioral weight loss program is fully covered by a public health insurance for patients with BMI ≥35kg/m2. We evaluated the real world outcomes of anthropometric, metabolic and psychologic parameters collected prior to the start (t0, n=381, 71% women) and after each segment of the program (t1-4, n=243, 126, 94, and 77). It is a prospective evaluation of clinical real world data including all patients who started the first segment of behavioral treatment until they quit/finish the program. The mean drop-out rates per treatment segment was 23%. Body weight after one year decreased from 127.3kg to 122.2 (p< .001). Average hemoglobin A1c value decreased from 5.8 % to 5.6 % in all patients (p< .001) and from 6.6 % to 6.2 % in patients with type 2 diabetes (p< .001). Further metabolic and psychological parameters improved significantly as well. The average weight nadir was reached after two segments, co-occurring with the most beneficial changes in laboratory parameters. Afterwards, mean weight slightly increased accompanied by a discrete loss of benefits in laboratory parameters. Our real world data with significant health improvements adds important value to discussions about the funding of obesity therapy and thus has the chance to improve therapy availability for obesity patients worldwide.