Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41933504›Full record

SynthesisObesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity2026

EffectS of Lifestyle Interventions in Older PEople With Obesity (Effective SLOPE): a Systematic Review With Network Meta-Analyses.

Gabriel Torbahn, Daniel Schoene, Isabel Galicia Ernst, Lukas Schwingshackl, Gerta Rücker, Helge Knüttel, Wolfgang Kemmler, Cornel C Sieber, John A Batsis, Dennis T Villareal and 3 more

Abstract readNetwork Meta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

13 authors.

Gabriel TorbahnInstitute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1463-3119
Daniel SchoeneInstitute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0717-5746
Isabel Galicia ErnstInstitute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5936-638X
Lukas SchwingshacklInstitute for Evidence in Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3407-7594
Gerta RückerInstitute of Medical Biometry and Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Medical Center - University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2192-2560
Helge KnüttelUniversity Library, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2654-6517
Wolfgang KemmlerInstitute of Radiology, University Hospital Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3515-0669
Cornel C SieberInstitute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6271-7459
John A BatsisDivision of Geriatric Medicine, School of Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0845-4416
Dennis T VillarealDivision of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1365-7960
Nanette Stroebele-BenschopDepartment of Nutritional Psychology, Institute of Nutritional Medicine, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5835-6945
Dorothee VolkertInstitute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1003-6395
Eva KiesswetterInstitute for Biomedicine of Aging, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Nuremberg, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1721-215X

Funding

German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) 01KG1903
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

BACKGROUND/

aimWe conducted a systematic review with network meta-analyses (NMA) summarizing the effects and safety of lifestyle interventions containing nutrition (NUT; e.g., calorie restriction), exercise (EX; e.g., aerobic/resistance exercise) and behavior change interventions (BCI; e.g., behavioral therapy) on physical function, body composition, quality of life, psychosocial outcomes, health and adverse events in community-dwelling older adults with obesity.

methodsWe used the methodology proposed by Cochrane and searched six databases and one trial registry for eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs; intervention duration ≥ 12 weeks) up to May 2022 with a full new search in MEDLINE and a re-assessment of previously identified eligible trial registry entries in October 2025. Random-effects NMA ((standardized) mean difference ((S)MD), 95% confidence intervals) were conducted if possible.

resultsWe included 72 RCTs (n = 6716) for descriptive summaries and 54 RCTs (n = 4249) for NMA. NUT+EX+BCI improved physical function (performance batteries) compared to control (SMD 3.37 [1.76;4.97]; high certainty of evidence). NUT+EX+BCI may reduce body (MD -8.69 [-13.14;-4.25]) and fat mass (MD -6.58 [-10.44;-2.73]) while not negatively affecting fat-free mass (MD -1.38 [-3.52;0.76]) or bone mineral density (MD -0.01 [-0.05;0.02]) (evidence very uncertain). Other interventions (single/combined) may also be effective; however, effects were often imprecise. For psychosocial outcomes, quality of life, and health events, data were insufficient or too heterogeneous to derive clear results.

conclusionThe evidence suggests that NUT+EX+BCI interventions are most suitable for the management of obesity in older adults. Nevertheless, further RCTs-especially in frail populations and on patient-relevant outcomes-are needed.

Indexed as

Behavior TherapyLife StyleObesityAgedBody CompositionExerciseHumansQuality of LifeRandomized Controlled Trials as Topicagedlifestyle interventionsnetwork meta‐analysisobesitysarcopenic obesity

Identifiers

PMID41933504
PMCPMC13551408

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.