Metabolic and bariatric surgery is currently the most effective treatment for severe obesity; however, a substantial proportion of patients attain suboptimal weight losses and continue to struggle with obesity, weight regain, and related medical comorbidities after surgery. Thus, this study aims to perform a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study to test the effectiveness of a rigorous manualized behavioral weight loss treatment and a FDA-approved weight loss agent (naltrexone+bupropion), alone and in combination, for improving weight loss, cardiovascular risk factors, and psychosocial functioning after metabolic and bariatric surgery. This study will produce important new clinical findings regarding the utility and effectiveness of pharmacotherapy and behavioral weight loss for a rapidly growing obesity subgroup and will inform care models for managing chronic and refractory obesity to enhance outcomes after metabolic and bariatric surgery.
This study will compare the effectiveness of behavioral and pharmacologic treatment, alone and combined, for improvements in weight loss, cardiovascular risk factors, and psychosocial functioning following metabolic and bariatric surgery.