BACKGROUND: Unrealistic patient weight loss expectations in treatment of obesity may hamper the modest success which can actually be achieved.
SETTING: Academic Obesity Unit Day Care Centre.
OBJECTIVE: Description of weight loss expectations and weight loss concerns by questionnaire analyses.
RESULTS: Patients were severely obese, with a median initial body mass index (BMI) of 40.7 kg/m(2). Weight loss expectations were generally unrealistic, with women hoping for a loss up to 42%, and men for 29% of their baseline weight (P<0.001). No effects of age on actual weight loss or weight loss expectations were observed.
CONCLUSION: Gender differences in weight loss expectations may be important to acknowledge in future development of obesity treatment programmes. Realistic treatment outcome should be described early in a programme to facilitate compliance.