Recent Trends in the Prevention and Management of Obesity Among Adults: A Systematic Review.
- 2025-08-01
- Cureus 17(8)
- Gauri Shankar
- Jitender Sharma
- Rahul Soni
- Shrey Gondalia
- Vinod Kumar
- PubMed: 40895654
- DOI: 10.7759/cureus.89207
Study Design
- Type
- Review
- Sample size
- n = 4,047
- Population
- adults
- Methods
- systematic review following PRISMA guidelines, literature search from PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library for 2015 to 2025
Obesity has become a challenging public health concern because of its several health consequences. This systematic review aimed to explore recent trends in the prevention and management of obesity among adults. This systematic review was conducted following the guidelines of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA). The literature search encompassed extensive databases like PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Cochrane Library for the last ten years, from 2015 to 2025. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the appropriate tools according to the study design. The synthesis and data analysis included a summary of study characteristics, interventions, outcomes measured, and main study results/conclusions. Sample sizes in the included studies ranged from 21 to 4047 participants. Pharmacological interventions, such as glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists, demonstrated significant and sustained weight loss and improved cardiometabolic risk factors. Exercise interventions were shown to improve aerobic capacity, body composition, and blood pressure. Time-restricted eating, especially when combined with resistance training, proved effective for fat loss and maintaining muscle mass. Bariatric surgery resulted in significant weight loss, increased diabetes remission, and reduced incidence of diabetes-related complications. Additionally, the use of probiotics may aid in weight management by controlling body fat mass and reducing waist circumference. Combination therapies, such as weight loss programs incorporating both aerobic and resistance exercise, were found to be the most effective in reducing ectopic fat and improving physical and metabolic function. This systematic review highlights the multifaceted nature of obesity prevention and management among adults, emphasizing the effectiveness of diverse interventions like pharmacological agents, exercise therapy, dietary management, and surgical management such as bariatric surgery.