Behavioural factors related with successful weight loss 15 months post-enrolment in a commercial web-based weight-loss programme

Abstract

Objective: As further understanding is required of what behavioural factors are associated with long-term weight-loss success, the aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of successful weight loss 15 months post-enrolment in a commercial web-based weight-loss programme and which behavioural factors were associated with success. Design: An online survey was completed 15 months post-enrolment in a commercial web-based weight-loss programme to assess weight-related behaviours and current weight. Participants were classified as successful if they had lost $5 % of their starting weight after 15 months. Setting: Commercial users of a web-based weight-loss programme. Subjects: Participants enrolled in the commercial programme between August 2007 and May 2008. Six hundred and seventy-seven participants completed the survey. Results: The median (interquartile range) weight change was 22?7 (28?2, 1?6) % of enrolment weight, with 37 % achieving $5 % weight loss. Multivariate logistic regression analysis found success was associated with frequency of weight selfmonitoring, higher dietary restraint score, lower emotional eating score, not skipping meals, not keeping snack foods in the house and eating takeaway foods less frequently. Conclusions: The findings suggest that individuals trying to achieve or maintain $5 % weight loss should be advised to regularly weigh themselves, avoid skipping meals or keeping snack foods in the house, limit the frequency of takeaway food consumption, manage emotional eating and strengthen dietary restraint. Strategies to assist individuals make these changes to behaviour should be incorporated within obesity treatments to improve the likelihood of successful weight loss in the long term.

Lifestyle intervention has a beneficial effect on eating behavior and long-term weight loss in obese adults

“…In previous studies successful weight management has been associated with improvement in cognitive restraint (Batra et al, 2013;Karhunen et al, 2012;Keränen et al, 2009Keränen et al, , 2011Neve et al, 2012). The restriction of caloric intake is a prerequisite for successful weight loss, which is why the scores of cognitive restraint have tended to be higher among dieters compared to normal-weight population (de Lauzon et al, 2004;Keränen et al, 2009).…”

“…Higher cognitive restraint of eating enhances the maintenance of weight loss in overweight subjects (Andrade et al, 2010;Keränen, Strengell, Savolainen, & Laitinen, 2011;Keränen et al, 2009;Svendsen et al, 2008;Westerterp-Plantenga, Kempen, & Saris, 1998), while uncontrolled eating and binge eating predict less weight loss and emerge as unsatisfactory traits for successful weight maintenance (Keränen et al, 2009;Pacanowski, Senso, Oriogun, Crain, & Sherwood, 2014;Svendsen et al, 2008;Westerterp-Plantenga et al, 1998). Emotional eating has also been inversely associated with maintenance of weight loss (Andrade et al, 2010;Keränen et al, 2009;Neve, Morgan, & Collins, 2012). The cognitive restraint of eating has been shown to increase and uncontrolled eating to decrease more among overweight successful dieters compared to those who fail in weight loss and maintenance (Karhunen et al, 2012;Keränen et al, 2009, Neve et al, 2012.…”

“…Emotional eating has also been inversely associated with maintenance of weight loss (Andrade et al, 2010;Keränen et al, 2009;Neve, Morgan, & Collins, 2012). The cognitive restraint of eating has been shown to increase and uncontrolled eating to decrease more among overweight successful dieters compared to those who fail in weight loss and maintenance (Karhunen et al, 2012;Keränen et al, 2009, Neve et al, 2012. In general population, higher body mass index and other adiposity factors have been associated with increased cognitive restraint (de Lauzon et al, 2004).…”

Long-term weight status in regainers after weight loss by lifestyle intervention: status and challenges

“…newsletter or telephone conferences) and also a manually and simplified form of contact with nutritionist (6,38,43,(51)(52)(53) . In both cases, the face-to-face counselling condition obtained the best results (36,37,(39)(40)(41)(42) .…”

“…The challenge for clinicians and nutritionists is to develop weight management strategies for obese people which not only promote initial weight loss, but also contribute to a subsequent weight maintenance phase (6)(7)(8)(9) . From a nutritional perspective, weight management strategies should take into account personalised dietary programmes.…”