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Thomas J. Flynn, MD

JAMA. 1990;263(21):2885.

	Since this article does not have an abstract, we have provided the first 150 words of the full text PDF and any section headings.

To the Editor.—

The treatment of obesity is a matter of opinion, not of fact. The recent commentary by Wadden et al¹ recommends a responsible program of very-low-calorie diets plus behavioral therapy for those who are 30% overweight or more. Yet studies conducted by Dr Wadden and others working with the Sandoz Nutritional Company do not support this recommendation.

Wadden et al² compared three groups of patients: those treated by very-low-calorie diets alone, by behavioral therapy alone, and by a combination therapy such as that recommended in the commentary. "At the three-year follow-up, however, subjects in all three conditions had regained between 74% and 85% of their end-of-treatment weight loss and differences in weight loss among conditions were no longer significantly different."² Dr Stunkard,³ writing separately, recommended conservative treatments with behavioral therapy "over such radical ones as jawwiring and very low calorie diets." Another study . . . [Full Text PDF of this Article]

Footnotes
Edited by Drummond Rennie, MD, Deputy Editor (West), and Don Riesenberg, MD, Senior Editor.

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