Long Term Follow up After 1 Year Initial Lifestyle Intervention

Effect of Four Years Intensive- Versus Regular Follow up, After a One Year Weight Loss Period, in Patients With Morbid Obesity.

The effect of non-surgical methods for obesity treatment are not fully documented. This study focus on the long term effect of an intensiv follow up (the "Evje Model") compared to a regular follow up. The "Evje Model" is a combined model, consisting of repeated stays at a specialist centre, telephone follow up at home, home groups, self monitoring and close contact with the patients' local physician.

Eighty patients will undergo an intensive lifestyle intervention following the "Evje Model". This group will be randomised into an intervention group and a control group. The intervention group will undergo four years of further follow up in accordance with the Evje Model, which means two one weeks stays each year at the Evje Clinic, telephone follow up, home groups, self monitoring and collaboration with the patients' local physician. The control group will be followed up by the patients local physician and a yearly control at the Center for Morbid Obesity at Vestfold Hospital (Sykehuset i Vestfold HF). The control group will have a yearly week end at Evjeklinikken for testing. The purpose is to measure the effect of these two follow up models in regard to weight loss maintanance, Quality of Life and comorbidities.

Inclusion Criteria: Patients, referred from Public Hospitals, with morbid obesity that have undergone one year intensive life style intervention in accordance with the Evje Model. Exclusion Criteria: Pregnancy, major and active psychiatric disease, active and serious eating disorder

Karlsen TI, Sohagen M, Hjelmesaeth J. Predictors of weight loss after an intensive lifestyle intervention program in obese patients: a 1-year prospective cohort study. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2013 Oct 3;11:165. doi: 10.1186/1477-7525-11-165.