Purpose: This review aims to synthesize the most up-to-date evidence on effective lifestyle prescriptions for managing patients with obesity in the primary care setting. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted through June 2025 using major domestic and international databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and RISS, as well as the websites of relevant academic societies. The search strategy employed keywords such as “obesity,” “primary care,” “lifestyle intervention,” “diet,” “exercise,” and “behavioral therapy” in both English and Korean. Results: Effective obesity management should be grounded in the new paradigm of adiposity-based chronic disease, which focuses on preventing and treating the medical complications associated with excessive fat accumulation. The essential components of a successful lifestyle prescription comprise 3 pillars: diet, exercise, and behavioral therapy. An individualized dietary plan that achieves an energy deficit of 500–750 kcal is fundamental. Exercise prescriptions should recommend a combination of aerobic and resistance training, along with strategies to minimize sedentary time. In behavioral therapy, high-intensity behavioral counseling, the 6A model (ask, assess, advise, agree, assist, arrange), self-monitoring, and cognitive-behavioral therapy techniques have all demonstrated efficacy. Conclusion Primary care physicians are not only capable but also uniquely positioned to lead long-term, patient-centered obesity management. Their comprehensive and integrative perspective makes them one of the most efficient and scalable resources in addressing the obesity epidemic.

This study was conducted to investigate health status and nutrient intakes among 5th grade elementary students at Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010. This study was cross-sectional study on 1,384 children (687 boys, 697 girls) from nine elementary schools located in Seoul and Gyeonggi province. The average height, weight and BMI were 145 cm, 40.6 kg 19.2 kg/m2 for boys and 145.4 cm, 38.2 kg, 18.0 kg/m2 for girls. The prevalence of overweight and obesity were 11.3%, 5.2%, respectively. Serum AST, ALT, glucose, HDL-Cholesterol and RBC levels were significantly higher, while TG levels was significantly lower for boys than for girls. The average energy intake was 1772.4 kcal, which was 98.7% of Estimated Energy Requirement (EER). The boys consumed more energy intake (1800.4 kcal) than the girls (1744.7 kcal). Also, they took insufficient calcium and folate (69.1% and 83.3% of Recommended Intake (RI)) and excess sodium (297.6% of Adequate Intake (AI)) and 85.1% of the subjects had breakfast everyday. In general, the proportion of the children who consumed fruits and vegetables at least once or more a day was low. There was a higher proportion of children in boys who had ramyun and milk with sufficient physical activity than those in girls. As a result of this study, we can find risk factors on obesity and metabolic disorders, and the results can be used for an evidence of nutrition education program and the intervention program.
Breakfast ; Calcium ; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S.) ; Child ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Energy Intake ; Folic Acid ; Fruit ; Glucose ; Humans ; Korea ; Milk ; Motor Activity ; Obesity ; Overweight ; Prevalence ; Risk Factors ; Sodium ; Vegetables