Also in this Section:

• What is Obesity
• The mechanistic cause - calories in, calories out
• The wider causes and risk factors
• The health consequences
• Prevention
• Treatment
• Monitoring
• Quick facts
• Overweight and Obesity in European Children
• Obesity in European Adults

Quick Links:

• Contact EASO
• EASO Members
• EASO Meetings

Treatment

Some of the most common treatment strategies for obesity include:

• Lifestyle modification – eating less and moving more.
• Medication – anti-obesity drugs are sometimes given to help people control their appetite and reduce the amount of fat absorbed and the search for better drugs continues.  Drugs that increase calorie-burning are proving to be elusive, but recent findings on a type of fat tissue called brown fat, which burns calories, are raising hopes of a potential new drug target.
• Psychological support – interventions that help people become more aware of emotional triggers for unhealthy eating and help them build skills to overcome them are increasingly being used to treat obesity.  Cognitive-behavioural support is also used to help people stay focused on the reasons for change, accept difficulties as part of the process and generally keep them on track.
• Surgery – Operations to make the stomach smaller are considered an option in severe cases for people who have been involved in long-term combined lifestyle interventions without success.