A day clinic for the interdisciplinary therapy of severe obesity

Background In 2018, a day clinic for the interdisciplinary therapy of severe obesity was established at the University-Hospital of Schleswig-Holstein in Kiel financed by the national health insurance system. Methods The efficiency was analysed in the first 201 patients presented from June 2018 to May 2020, including a long-term observation after 12 months. Results The therapy was performed in a 26-weeks setting. 170 of 201 patients successfully completed the therapy program corresponding to 84.6 %. The median age accounted to 46 years. Most patients were females (64.7 %). The group of the Responders (>= 10 % weight reduction) exhibited a weight reduction of 27.1 kg, 20 % accordingly. The Non-Responders (< 10 %), containing significantly more female subjects (81.3 % vs. 60.9 %, p = 0.039), showed a body weight reduction of 8.8 kg. Responders and Non-Responders differed significantly regarding hip- and waist circumference as well as fat mass (p < 0.001, each). After 26-weeks Responders showed lower Triglycerid(p = 0.019) and HbA(1c)-concentrations (p = 0.030) compared to Non-Responders. One year after therapy start a sufficient weight maintenance was documented in both groups. Conclusion An interdisciplinary therapy in the setting of a day clinic reflects a sufficient method for the successful nonsurgical treatment of patients with severe obesity.