Should weight loss and maintenance programmes be designed differently for men? A systematic review of long-term randomised controlled trials presenting data for men and women: The ROMEO project.

Robertson, C.
Avenell, A.
Boachie, C.
Stewart, F.
Archibald, D.
Douglas, F.
Hoddinott, P.
van Teijlingen, Edwin
Boyers, D.

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Publication date

January 2016

DOI

10.1016/j.orcp.2015.04.005

Publisher

Elsevier BV

ISSN

1871-403X

Citation count (estimate)

Abstract

We systematically reviewed the randomised controlled trial (RCT) evidence for long-term (≥12 months) weight management interventions for obese men in contrast to women to help understand whether programmes should be designed differently for men. We searched 11 databases up to October 2014. Twenty-two RCTs reported data separately for men and women in weight loss or weight maintenance interventions. We found men were under-represented in RCTs of weight loss interventions open to both sexes. Men comprised 36% of participants (4771 from 13,305 participants). Despite this, men were 11% (95% CI 8-14%, p<0.001) more likely to be trial completers compared to women. The trials did not report service user consultation and none were designed to inves...