Multidisciplinary therapy to target obesity and its complications in adult population: a narrative review

Abstract

Obesity as a chronic and multifactorial disease requires a multidisciplinary team acting together in a holistic multitarget intervention. Multidisciplinary therapy targeting obesity and its complications includes physical exercise, nutritional, and behavior counseling. When lifestyle changes are not sufficient in adults, medication prescription and bariatric surgery may be recommended. The aim of this narrative review is to summarize the underlying mechanisms and effects of multidisciplinary therapy in the control of obesity and its complications in adults. [Correction added on 21 January 2026, after first online publication: The previous sentence has been corrected in this version.] All types of clinical studies developed in an adult population were included. Different types of multidisciplinary therapy (short- and long-term) in the primary and secondary settings were identified. Multidisciplinary therapy seems to be useful in the control of adverse effects of obesity, including reductions in biomarkers of inflammation, cardiometabolic risk factors, dyslipidemia, diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, nonalcoholic fatty liver diseases, atherosclerosis, cardiovascular disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and psychosocial outcomes. These results highlight the importance of targeting obesity and its complications in a holistic approach with a multidisciplinary team acting together.