Systematic review of loneliness and social isolation interventions in obesity and obesity-related complications

People living with obesity and obesity-related complications who are experiencing social isolation and loneliness (SIL) are at an increased risk of more disease-specific complications, the presence of comorbidities, and mortality. Interventions targeting SIL may be of benefit in this population, though research in this field is limited. This study aimed to systematically review the literature on interventions addressing SIL in people with obesity and obesity-related complications. The databases SCOPUS, PsycINFO, and EMBASE were searched for eligible articles. Studies were uploaded into Covidence for title, abstract, and full-text screening, data extraction, and quality assessment. Of 3521 studies screened, 19 were included. Studies were grouped by whether they were conducted in person or through technology, and in group or individual settings, with in-person group-based interventions more likely to report effectiveness. Interventions were also divided into four types—therapeutic, companionship, social activity, or physical type—with studies included being predominantly therapeutic interventions. Limited conclusions could be drawn from the data in relation to effectiveness due to the heterogeneity of studies. Although the limited findings align with the emerging nature of this topic, it emphasizes the need for more research in developing targeted and robust SIL interventions for individuals with obesity and obesity-related complications.