A prospective study of short-term outcomes of a residential programme for the morbidly obese in Malta

Abstract

Obesity is a worldwide problem, and Malta is no exception. In Malta, a Foundation was established to address weight problems amongst the population, and this initiative included the opening in 2014 of an 8-week residential programme for morbidly obese patients. This multidisciplinary programme is managed and coordinated by a team consisting of doctors, psychiatrists, nurses, physiotherapist, psychologists, dietitian, nutritionists and occupational therapists. This team guides residents towards adopting a healthier lifestyle, rather than focusing solely on food intake. In this study, the first 163 residents admitted to the programme, (65 males and 98 females), were assessed at the point of admission and discharge against several physical parameters. The effectiveness of the programme in the short term was validated since at the point of discharge these patients had a statistically significant reduction in weight, BMI, cholesterol levels, glucose levels and HBA1C. They were also more mobile, and this difference was also statistically significant.