TREATMENT METHODS FOR OBESITY IN ADULTS: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES – LITERATURE REVIEW

Dominika Karolak; Tymoteusz Białowąs; Natalia Sara Kuśmierowska; Monika Kuś; Grzegorz Słomkowski; Kacper Cholewiński; Daria Valipur Kolti; Milena Polak; Magdalena Natalia Nowak; Konrad Wiśniewski

doi:10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5682

Authors

Dominika Karolak Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1131-9171
Tymoteusz Białowąs Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0001-0889-2635
Natalia Sara Kuśmierowska Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7572-0282
Monika Kuś Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0009-6445-5593
Grzegorz Słomkowski Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0003-3742-8377
Kacper Cholewiński Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-7185-5310
Daria Valipur Kolti University Clinical Centre, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0005-9900-4419
Milena Polak Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-6148-5354
Magdalena Natalia Nowak Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0002-1010-3364
Konrad Wiśniewski Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński University in Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0007-1076-6471

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.31435/ijitss.2(50).2026.5682

Keywords:

Obesity, Overweight, Bariatric Surgery, GLP-1 Receptor Agonists

Abstract

Background: Obesity is a growing public health crisis requiring timely intervention to prevent severe comorbidities (e.g., cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes) and improve patient survival.

Aim: To evaluate current obesity therapies—lifestyle modifications, pharmacotherapy, bariatric surgery, and experimental methods (FMT, DBS)—comparing their efficacy, complications, and required patient effort.

Materials and Methods: A targeted PubMed literature review using keywords such as "obesity treatment" and "bariatric surgery."

Results: Obesity has a multifactorial etiology. Lifestyle modifications are foundational but typically yield a modest weight loss of 5-10% and are limited by counter-regulatory mechanisms. Pharmacotherapy (e.g., GLP-1 receptor agonists) provides significant reduction (~20%), whereas bariatric surgery remains the most effective intervention for substantial, sustained weight loss and comorbidity remission.

Conclusion: Standalone lifestyle interventions are often insufficient due to high weight regain rates. Optimal long-term clinical outcomes require an individualized, integrated approach combining permanent behavioral changes with appropriate pharmacological or surgical therapies.

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