Weight Loss & Weight Maintenance in
US Women
Weight Loss Study Aim
To assess the prevalence of clinically significant weight loss among women
and whether this is associated with smaller long-term weight gains.
Weight Loss Study Method
Six-year follow-up of young and middle-aged women in the Nurses' Health
Study II.
Weight Loss Study Subjects
A total of 47 515 women who did not report a pregnancy, or a diagnosis
of cancer or cardiovascular disease any time between 1989 and 1995.
Weight Loss Study Measurements
Self-reported weights in 1989, 1991, 1993 and 1995, dietary intake, physical
activity, inactivity, history of weight cycling and smoking.
Weight Loss Study Results
Between 1989 and 1991, 9 percent of the women lost 5 percent of their
1989 weight (6 percent lost 5-9.9 percent and 3 percent lost 10 percent).
The proportion who lost 10 percent of their weight increased with category
of body mass index from 0.4 percent among women with a BMI <22 to 9
percent among women with a BMI 30 in 1989. Women who lost 5 percent of
their weight between 1989 and 1991 gained more weight between 1991 and
1995 than their peers and the difference increased across categories of
BMI in 1989. However, due to their large weight losses, women who lost
5 percent of their weight between 1989 and 1991 overall gained less weight
than their peers between 1989 and 1995. Moreover, women who engaged in
5 or more hours per week of vigorous physical activity gained approximately
0.5 kg less than their inactive peers.
Weight Loss Study Conclusion
Although most women who lost a clinically significant amount of weight
regained most of it, they gained less weight over the entire 6-year period
than their peers.
Source: International Journal of Obesity
(2001)
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