Lifestyle Interventions for Obesity in the Era of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

The central goal of obesity treatment is to sustain weight loss of at least 5%, with greater weight loss conferring greater health benefits. With the emergence of new pharmacological anti-obesity therapies, the utility of lower-intensity lifestyle-based interventions is being questioned. Two studies presented explore remotely delivered behavioral weight loss interventions. The first study compared two interventions, one with a financial incentive and one without, using behaviorally focused text messages. The second study used a wireless monitoring feedback system with or without weekly personal coaching. Both studies showed modest weight loss effects, but the durability of these effects is unknown. These studies highlight the need for personalized approaches to obesity treatment, considering factors such as disease etiology, individual characteristics, and disease severity. Combining scalable technology-based platforms with effective biologically based treatments may be the optimal approach. Low-intensity behavioral interventions should not be discarded, but rather tailored to specific patient populations.