Table 1.

Participants' demographic data, initial lipids profile, by treatment group

	Group A	Group B	Group C	P* value
Number of patients	62	112	51
Age (years +/- SD)	47.3 ± 11	46.8 ± 12	51 ± 9.6	NS
Gender (% female)	71	74	61	NS
Ischemic heart disease (%)	0	4	0	NS
Hypertension (%)	44	51	27	P < 0.05
Diabetes mellitus (%)	9	18	20	NS
Dyslipidemia (%)	16	38	66	P < 0.001
Initial body weight
Initial body mass index (BMI; kg/m2 +/- SD)	33 ± 3.8	34 ± 4.4	31 ± 3.6	P < 0.01 34 > 31(B > C)
Initial triglycerides (mg/dl, +/- SD)	170 ± 53	184 ± 49	255 ± 205	P < 0.01 170 <255> 183 (A < B > C)
Initial low density lipoproteins (LDL; mg/dl, +/- SD)	150 ± 30	156 ± 36	152 ± 44	NS
Initial high density lipoproteins (HDL; mg/dl, +/- SD)	42 ± 7.0	44 ± 6.7	47 ± 14.9	NS
Average length of treatment (weeks, +/- SD)	13 ± 12.0	9 ± 4.7	23 ± 12	P < 0.001 23 > 13 > 9 (C > A > B)
Number of meetings with physician/dietitian (+/- SD)	4.3 ± 2.0	3.5 ± 1.5	5.2 ± 2.9	P < 0.001 5.2 > 3.5 (C > B)

NS = Not significant.

Group A – Orlistat, a personal reduced-energy diet and a meeting with a family practitioner and a clinical dietitian once every two weeks.

Group B – Orlistat, a general formulated reduced-energy diet and follow-up by the family physician once every four weeks.

Group C – a personal low-calorie diet and follow-up by a clinical dietitian once a month.

* When significant statistical differences were found among the three groups, we examined the statistical difference between each group of two.