Weight Loss Maintenance - American Adults
Weight Loss Maintenance Study Background
Previous studies suggest that few individuals achieve long-term weight
loss maintenance. Because most of these studies were based on clinical
samples and focused on only one episode of weight loss, these results
may not reflect the actual prevalence of weight loss maintenance in the
general population.
Weight Loss Maintenance Study Method
A random digit dial telephone survey was conducted to determine the point
prevalence of weight loss maintenance in a nationally representative sample
of adults in the United States. Weight loss maintainers were defined as
individuals who, at the time of the survey, had maintained a weight loss
of 10 percent from their maximum weight for at least 1 year. The prevalence
of weight loss maintenance was first determined for the total group (n=500),
and then for the subgroup of individuals who were overweight.
Weight Loss Maintenance Study Results
Weight loss was quite common in this sample: 54 percent of the total sample
and 62 percent of those who were ever overweight reported that they had
lost 10 percent of their maximum weight at least once in their lifetime,
with approximately one-half to two-thirds of these cases being intentional
weight loss. Among those who had achieved an intentional weight loss of
10 percent, 47-49 percent had maintained this weight loss for at least
1 year at the time of the survey; 25-27 percent had maintained it for
5 years or more. Fourteen percent of all subjects surveyed and 21 percent
of those with a history of obesity were currently 10 percent below their
highest weight, had reduced intentionally, and had maintained this 10
percent weight loss for at least 1 year.
Weight Loss Maintenance Study Conclusion
A large proportion of the American population has lost 10 percent of their
maximum weight and has maintained this weight loss for at least 1 year.
These findings are in sharp contrast to the belief that few people succeed
in long-term weight loss maintenance.
Source: International Journal of Obesity
(1999)
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