Our results show that the disease-related self-management of obese youngsters and those with bronchial asthma benefits from inpatient rehabilitation. Changes in self-management are only poorly predicted by the variables included in the regression analysis in the diagnostic group "obesity". Other factors than those considered in this study seem to influence the success of treatment. In the diagnostic group "bronchial asthma" a significantly higher proportion of incremental variance can be explained, the extent of disease management at the beginning of rehabilitation being the most important predictor.