Hamilton, ON (Feb. 24, 2015) - New studies by McMaster University researchers, published in CMAJ Open , have confirmed that people of all ages find it difficult to prevent weight gain; that it is terrifically difficult to get rid of it later and to keep it off once lost. However, even small weight losses can mean better health.
The McMaster Evidence Review and Synthesis Centre reviewed hundreds of recent studies about overweight and obesity published in the past decade. The last of its five related papers was published today.
"This is an important area to investigate, as we know that overweight and obesity are public health problems impacting a growing proportion of the Canadian population, and that this is related to many health problems," said Leslea Peirson, lead author and study co-ordinator.
The reports reviewed studies about the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity among children; the prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity among adults and about keeping lost weight off.
"We know that more research is needed that looks at programs designed to prevent weight gain in normal weight adults, youth and children," said Peirson. "Future research should look at the longevity of weight loss and study the health consequences of repeated cycling of weight loss and gain."
These systematic reviews provide the evidence behind the Canadian Task Force on Preventive Health Care's Adult Obesity Guidelines (released last month) and Child Obesity Guidelines, which are scheduled to be released in CMAJ at the end of March.
The studies were funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada and the Canadian Institutes for Health Research.
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Editors:
Dr. Katherine Morrison is an associate professor of pediatrics of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University; a pediatrician of McMaster Children's Hospital; and co-director of the Metabolism And Childhood (MAC) Obesity Research Program of McMaster University and McMaster Children's Hospital
Dr. James Douketis is a professor of medicine of the Michael G. DeGroote School of Medicine, McMaster University, and staff physician of Clinical Thromboembolism and General Internal Medicine, St. Joseph's Healthcare Hamilton
Post embargo, the paper may be found at: http://www.cmajopen.ca/content/3/1/E35.full
For more information:
Veronica McGuire
Media Relations
Faculty of Health Sciences
McMaster University
vmcguir@mcmaster.ca
905-525-9140, ext. 22169
CMAJ Open