Panel Selection · Topics Included in the Guidelines ·
Development of the Evidence Model · Search and Review of the
Literature · Literature Abstraction and Preparation of Evidence
Tables · The Formulation of the Evidence into the Guidelines ·
Consideration of Special Populations and Situations · External
Review of the Guidelines · Caveats to Recommendation Use 1.b.
Topics Included in the Guidelines The panel decided to focus on
all adult (18 years of age and older) overweight and obese
patients with a body mass index (BMI) 25, and particularly those
with cardiovascular risk factors. Excluded from the analysis
were patients with known genetic or hormonal syndromes and
pharmacologically induced obesity. In addition, since pediatric
obesity contributes to about one-third of adult obesity, the
panel felt that some attention needed to be focused on the issue
of overweight in children and adolescents (see Appendix III).
Treatment issues surrounding overweight children and adolescents
are quite different from the tre