Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 2001 Mar;25(3):325-31
Weight-loss maintenance in overweight individuals one to five years
following successful completion of a commercial weight loss program.Lowe
MR, Miller-Kovach K, Phelan S.
Department of Clinical and Health Psychology, MCP Hahnemann University,
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, USA.
lowe@drexel.edu
OBJECTIVE: To determine weight loss maintenance among participants in a
commercial weight loss program (Weight Watchers) who had reached their goal
weights 1-5 y previously. DESIGN: A national sample (n=1002) was surveyed
by phone to obtain demographic and weight-related information. An
oversample (n=258) was recruited and weighed in person to develop a
correction factor for self-reported weights in the national sample.
RESULTS: Based on corrected weights, weight regain from 1 to 5 y following
weight loss ranged between 31.5 and 76.5%. At 5 y, 19.4% were within 5 lb
of goal weight, 42.6% maintained a loss of 5% or more, 18.8% maintained a
loss of 10% or more, and 70.3% were below initial weight. CONCLUSIONS:
These results are not directly comparable to those obtained in clinical
settings because of differences in the populations studied. Nonetheless,
they suggest that the long-term prognosis for weight maintenance among
individuals who reach goal weight in at least one commercial program is
better than that suggested by existing research.