PROGROUP
ImPROving GROUP treatment for people with severe obesity

The rising challenge of severe obesity
Overweight and obesity now affect two thirds of adults (over 30 million people) in the UK. This significantly increases risks of death from heart disease and cancer, and jeopardises prospects for further improvements in life expectancy. Moreover, severe obesity (often defined as Body Mass Index > 40 kg/m2, or BMI > 35 kg/m2 if accompanied by comorbidity) is also increasingly common. About 7-9% of adults have BMI>35, and 3-5% of middle aged adults have BMI>40 kg/m2. There are also significant gender and ethnic variations. Once relatively rare, severe obesity affects millions of people and has become a common reason for medical referral.
However, severe obesity poses considerable challenges to individuals and the NHS. The principal challenge for health services is that with the specific exception of bariatric surgery, the optimum long term management of severe obesity, and its effectiveness are poorly defined.
This research programme was established to investigate the evidence base for Tier 3 interventions, and specifically to test the idea that a group-based behavioural intervention can be an effective model of care for these services.
Working with a national team of specialist service providers, service users, Tier 3 commissioners, dietician, psychological and implementation science experts we have devised a proposal to optimise how the dynamics of how a group-based service for people with severe obesity may be developed and used.
For more information, see the project’s publication on group-based intervention for people with severe obesity:
We receive ongoing support from The Association for the Study of Obesity.
This study is supported by the Peninsula Clinical Trials Unit (PenCTU) and the NIHR ARC South West Peninsula (PenARC).