The New German S3 Guideline and Its Implications for Clinical Practice and Future Research

Overweight and obesity count among the most significant disorders in Germany. The etiology, persistence, and therapy of obesity are associated with psychosocial and behavioral dimensions, among others. The first revised version of the German 'Interdisciplinary Guideline of S3 Quality for the Prevention and Therapy of Obesity' was published in April 2014. This updated version contains important innovations especially with regard to aspects of behavioral intervention pertaining to the etiology of obesity and the treatment of the people affected. Against this background, this article explains the innovative issues of the guideline concerning the psychosocial aspects and discusses the implications for the clinical practice. In addition, a number of propositions are derived for the future clinical obesity research.