A Review of Predictors Influencing Weight Loss in Obesity Treatment Lasting Over One Year: Focused on Clinical Studies from the Past 5 Years

Objectives: Although long-term and sustained management is important in obesity management, traditional approaches have been designed around short-term interventions or emphasized on weight loss maintenance. The purpose of this study was to review factors that influence the success of long-term, one year or more, weight loss.Methods: Authors searched articles which analyzed factors influencing the success of long-term obesity treatment lasting more than one year, published from 2020 to 2025 in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, Koreanstudies Information Service System, and Research Information Sharing Service.Results: 23 articles were selected. The changeable predictors of long-term weight loss included behavioral factors, psychological factors, environmental factors and treatment process-related factors, whereas the unchangeable predictors included demographic factors, physiological factors, and treatment history factors. In long-term weight loss, the main positive factors influencing weight loss included an unchangeable factor such as high initial degree of obesity and changeable factors such as initial weight loss, changes in dietary composition and eating behavior, self-efficacy, physical activity, attendance of the treatment, persistence of medication coverage, and high-dose usage.Conclusions: The results of this study can be used to improve treatment outcomes of patients who require long-term obesity treatment for more than one year.