Energy balance
Adding Very Low Calorie Diets (VLCD, ≤800 kcal/day) to a standard low-intensity weight management program (WMP1) is not cost-effective compared to WMP1 alone.
For patients with severe obesity, adding very low-calorie diet meal replacements (≤800 kcal/day) to a standard 12-week behavioral weight management program is not a cost-effective strategy. The standard program alone provides better value for money. Patients should focus on sustainable behavioral changes rather than expensive, restrictive meal replacements.
Adding a VLCD to WMP1 generated an ICER of over £121,000 per QALY compared to WMP1 alone.
Why this rating
Based on the same decision analysis model as N1, using RCT data for effectiveness.
Source
Cost-effectiveness of bariatric surgery and non-surgical weight management programmes for adults with severe obesity: a decision analysis model
Dwayne Boyers et al. · International Journal of Obesity · 2021
DOI 10.1038/s41366-021-00849-8
More from this paper
- Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) surgery is the most cost-effective intervention for adults with severe obesity (BMI ≥ 35 kg/m2) compared to non-surgical weight management programs, primarily due to superior long-term weight loss and reduced incidence of obesity-related diseases.Good
- A standard 12-week low-intensity behavioral weight management program (WMP1) is the next most cost-effective intervention after RYGB surgery for adults with severe obesity.Good
Related findings · Energy balance
- Achieving a total body weight loss of 10-15% (or >10-15 kg) through Total Diet Replacement (TDR) induces remission of Type 2 Diabetes in individuals with short-duration disease.Strong
- Bariatric surgery is superior to medical management alone for inducing significant long-term weight loss, remission of type 2 diabetes, and reduction in mortality for patients with BMI ≥ 40 or ≥ 35 with comorbidities.Strong
- Achieving type 2 diabetes remission requires significant weight loss (≥15 kg) via major caloric restriction, independent of macronutrient composition.Strong
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