Can anyone successfully control their weight? Findings of a three year community-based study of men and women

Abstract

This study examined the prevalence, distribution and correlates of successful weight loss and successful weight maintenance over three years in a community-based sample of 854 subjects aged 20 ± 45 at baseline. More than half (53.7%) of the participants in the study gained weight within the ®rst twelve months, only one in four (24.5%) successfully avoided weight gain over three years, and less than one in twenty (4.6%) lost and maintained weight successfully. The ®ndings underscore the importance of current public health efforts to prevent weight gain, and suggest that without much greater efforts to promote and support weight control the prevalence of obesity will continue to rise.

Preventing weight gain: a population cohort study of the nature and effectiveness of mid-age women's weight control practices

“…The Crawford et al 15 community study of an intervention programme found a combination of increased physical activity and lower consumption of 'fast food' among those who had maintained their weight within o5% of baseline weight over the 3 years of the study. This combination is similar to the weight control practice reported in this study (see Table 3) of combining exercise with cutting fats/sugars, Preventing weight gain L Williams et al which resulted in a weight gain of 0.83(0.27 s.e.)…”

“…There have been a few population-based studies conducted in the UK 10,11 and the USA, 12,13 and several community studies of weight control practices. 7,8,[14][15][16][17] From these studies, we know that a variety of practices are employed, with dietary modification and exercise being used frequently. Some studies have classified weight control behaviours into two groups: potentially 'health-promoting' practices (such as reducing energy and fat intake and increasing exercise) and potentially 'health-damaging' practices (such as fasting, self-induced vomiting, smoking, use of laxatives, diuretics and appetite suppressants).…”

“…The studies that did assess weight change or weight maintenance, although important, were limited by the fact that the sample consisted of people who volunteered to be part of a study on weight control, and who therefore might be more likely to use these practices. 7,8,[14][15][16][17] There is actually little population-level data on the long-term effectiveness of weight control practices used by women, particularly at mid-age, which is a stage when women are at risk of weight gain. [21][22][23] Findings from the 1996 baseline survey (Survey 1) of the Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health (ALSWH), also known as Women's Health Australia (WHA), showed that around half the 13 716 women in the mid-age cohort (aged 45-50 years) had attempted to lose weight in the previous year, and that only one in five of these women reported being happy with her weight.…”

Weight maintenance, behaviors and barriers among previous participants of a university-based weight control program

“…3 Shortly thereafter articles appeared in the literature with titles such as 'Most obesity treatment methods are ineffective over the long term' 4 and 'Can anyone successfully control their weight?'. 5 The propagation of this pessimistic message likely influenced the perception of both the general public and health care professionals alike about the feasibility of behavioral treatment for long-term weight loss maintenance.…”

Weight maintenance: challenges, tools and strategies for primary care physicians

“…Maintaining ‘new weight’ for 2 years after weight loss 34 Gaining no more than 5 lb (2.27 kg) or 5% of weight after weight loss (4 years) 35 Maintaining weight loss of 5–10% 36 Remaining within ±5 lb (2.27 kg) of goal weight 37 A weight change of less than ±3% of a designated body weight under standardized conditions …”