Guidance
Recommendations for research
Recommendations for research
The guideline committee has made the following recommendations for research.
Key recommendations for research
1 Identification in people from ethnic minority backgrounds
What approaches are effective and acceptable in identifying overweight, obesity and central adiposity in children, young people and adults from ethnic minority backgrounds? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on specific advice for people from ethnic minority backgrounds .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review D: identifying overweight and obesity in children, young people and adults.
2 Adverse effects of identification in children and young people
What are the adverse effects of identifying children and young people as living with overweight or obesity, particularly the risk of disordered eating and eating disorders? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on additional general principles for children and young people .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review D: identifying overweight and obesity in children, young people and adults.
3 Intermittent fasting in adults
What is the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of intermittent fasting in supporting adults in meeting their weight loss goals and maintaining their weight? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on intermittent fasting in adults .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review F: effectiveness of different diets in achieving and maintaining weight loss.
4 Surgical referral threshold for people who are unable to receive treatment for other conditions
What is the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of bariatric surgery in achieving weight loss and improving treatment outcomes in people who are unable to receive treatment for other health conditions (such as joint replacement surgery or fertility treatment) because they are living with obesity? [2023]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on surgical interventions .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review C: referral for bariatric surgery.
5 Surgical referral threshold for people from ethnic minority backgrounds
What is the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of bariatric surgery in achieving weight loss and maintaining a healthier weight in adults from ethnic minority backgrounds who are living with obesity? [2023]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on surgical interventions .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review C: referral for bariatric surgery.
6 Measurements for assessing health risks in adults
What are the most accurate and suitable measurements and boundary values to assess the health risks associated with overweight, obesity and central adiposity in adults of different ethnicities, particularly those from Black, Asian and ethnic minority backgrounds? [2022]
For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on classifying overweight, obesity and central adiposity in adults .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review A: accuracy of anthropometric measures in assessing health risks associated with overweight and obesity in adults.
7 Measurements for assessing health risks in children and young people
What are the most accurate and suitable measurements and boundary values to assess the health risk associated with overweight, obesity and central adiposity in children and young people of different ethnicities, particularly those from ethnic minority backgrounds? [2022]
For a short explanation of why the committee made the recommendation for research, see the rationale section on measures of overweight, obesity and central adiposity in children and young people .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review B: accuracy of anthropometric measures in assessing health risks associated with overweight and obesity in children and young people.
Other recommendations for research
8 Psychological therapies to address the effect of stigma
What is the effectiveness and acceptability of psychological therapies (acceptance and commitment therapy, compassion focused therapy, cognitive behavioural therapy, or a combination of these approaches or other approaches) to address the counterproductive effect of weight stigma in children, young people and adults? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on psychological therapies to address the effect of weight stigma .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review I: psychological approaches to address weight stigma in children, young people and adults.
9 Using waist-to-height-ratio in children and young people
What is the effectiveness of children and young people using waist-to-height ratio to measure their own central adiposity and what is the acceptability and what are the risks of this approach among this population? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on when to take and record measurements in children and young people .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review D: identifying overweight and obesity in children, young people and adults.
10 Beliefs about weight
How do people's beliefs and attitudes about weight affect identification for, and the uptake and adherence to, overweight and obesity management interventions in children and young people? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on discussing the results with children and young people, and their families and carers .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review H: effectiveness of healthy living programmes in preventing overweight and obesity in children and young people.
11 Behavioural interventions and long-term support in children and young people
What is the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of behavioural overweight and obesity management interventions that include long-term support in achieving and maintaining weight loss in children and young people? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on choosing interventions with children and young people, and their families and carers .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review G: effectiveness of healthy living programmes in preventing overweight and obesity in children and young people.
12 Low-energy diets in people with type 2 diabetes
What is the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of low-energy diets on overweight and obesity in people with different durations of type 2 diabetes? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on low-energy and very-low-energy diets for adults .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review F:effectiveness of different diets in achieving and maintaining weight loss.
13 Low-energy and very-low-energy diets before treatment for other conditions
What is the effectiveness and cost effectiveness of low-energy and very-low-energy diets in supporting adults who need to lose weight before receiving treatment for other health conditions in meeting and maintaining their weight loss targets? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on low-energy and very-low-energy diets for adults .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review F: effectiveness of different diets in achieving and maintaining weight loss.
14 Adverse events associated with different dietary approaches
What are the adverse events associated with different dietary approaches (for example, low-energy and very-low-energy diets, low-carbohydrate diets, intermittent fasting) for people living with overweight or obesity? [2025]
For a short explanation of why the committee made this recommendation for research, see the rationale section on low-energy and very-low-energy diets for adults .
Full details of the evidence and the committee's discussion are in evidence review F: effectiveness of different diets in achieving and maintaining weight loss.
15 Obesity management for people with a condition associated with an increased risk of obesity
What is the best way to deliver obesity management interventions for people with conditions associated with increased risk of obesity (such as people with a physical disability that limits mobility, a learning disability or enduring mental health difficulties)? [2014]
16 Bariatric surgery in children and young people
What are the long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery in children and young people living with obesity? [2014]
17 Follow-up care after bariatric surgery
Do postoperative interventions focusing on physical activity, behaviour and diet improve weight loss and weight-loss maintenance after bariatric surgery? [2014]
18 Long-term outcomes of bariatric surgery on people with type 2 diabetes
What is the long-term effect of bariatric surgery on diabetes-related complications and quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes compared with optimal medical treatment? [2014]
19 Long-term effect of very-low-calorie diets on people with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or more
What are the long-term effects of using very-low-calorie diets compared with low-calorie diets on weight and quality of life in people with a BMI of 40 kg/m2 or more, including the impact of repeated cycle of weight loss and regain (also known as weight cycling)? [2014]
20 Lifestyle interventions for Black, Asian and other ethnic minority groups
How effective and cost effective are behavioural interventions for people from ethnic minority backgrounds at different BMI and waist-to-height ratio thresholds, compared with people from other backgrounds? [2013]
21 Comparative risks for different generations of immigrants
Can the same BMI and waist-to-height ratio thresholds be used in people from first-, second- and third-generation immigrants from Black, Asian or other ethnic minority backgrounds to identify health risks? [2013]
22 Behavioural interventions for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities
What are the barriers to, and facilitators for, implementing behavioural overweight and obesity services for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities living with overweight and obesity? [2013]
23 Effective approaches for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities
Which approaches to overweight and obesity management are effective and cost effective for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities living with overweight and obesity? [2013]
24 Long-term maintenance of weight loss in children and young people
Do children and young people who have met their weight-loss goals as a result of behavioural overweight and obesity interventions continue to maintain their weight in the long term and, if so, for how long? What characteristics of behavioural overweight and obesity interventions facilitate longer-term effectiveness? [2013]
25 Encouraging families and carers to engage with interventions
How can families and carers be encouraged to take responsibility for their child's overweight and obesity management and engage with behavioural overweight and obesity interventions? [2013]
26 Encouraging children and young people to engage with interventions
What are effective and appropriate ways (including digital services and apps) of encouraging children and young people living with overweight and obesity involved in overweight and obesity management interventions? [2013]
27 Barriers and facilitators for participation for children and young people
What are the barriers to, and facilitators for, participating in overweight and obesity management interventions for children and young people living with overweight and obesity and their families and carers? [2013]
28 Discussing National Child Measurement Programme measures with families and carers
How can the individual measures of the National Child Measurement Programme be best communicated to families and carers without causing distress? [2013]
29 Impact of families and carers on outcomes
What impact do families and carers have on the outcomes of overweight and obesity management interventions? [2013]
30 Who should deliver interventions for children and young people
Who is best placed to deliver behavioural overweight and obesity management interventions (including lay people) for children and young people living with overweight and obesity, and what are their training needs? [2013]
31 Comorbidity assessment tools for referral
What is the effectiveness of comorbidity assessment tools in referring children and young people living with overweight and obesity to specialist support? [2013]
32 Single-figure cut-off points
What are the risks and benefits of developing single-figure cut-off points on BMI and waist-to-height ratio for people from ethnic minority backgrounds to help prevent diabetes and other conditions? [2013]
33 Awareness of risk among ethnic minority groups
Are people from ethnic minority backgrounds aware that they are at risk of type 2 diabetes and mortality at a lower BMI, compared with people from White backgrounds? [2013]
34 Practitioners and providers' awareness of risk in ethnic minority groups
Are healthcare professionals and overweight and obesity management service providers aware that people from ethnic minority backgrounds are at risk of type 2 diabetes and mortality at lower BMI and waist-to-height ratio thresholds compared with people from White backgrounds and if so, do they offer interventions based on this information? [2013]
35 Community-wide approaches to prevention
What factors are necessary for an effective and cost-effective community-wide approach to obesity prevention? [2012]
36 Monitoring and evaluating community-wide approaches
What is the most effective way to monitor and evaluate community-wide approaches to obesity? [2012]
37 Cost effectiveness of prevention interventions
What is the cost effectiveness of interventions to prevent or manage obesity in children, young people and adults in the UK? [2006]
38 Variability in effectiveness of interventions
How does the effectiveness of interventions to prevent or manage obesity vary by population group, setting and source of delivery? [2006]