Study credits Weight Watchers with helping many to keep weight off
 

Study credits Weight Watchers with helping many to keep weight off
- EMMA ROSS, AP Medical Writer
Friday, May 28, 2004

(05-28) 09:51 PDT PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) --

Half of all dieters who reached their goal weight through Weight Watchers
were at least 5 percent lighter than their original weight after five
years, according to a study released Friday.

It may not sound like much, but obesity experts meeting in Prague were
impressed. Nearly all dieters eventually return to their old weight, and
maintaining a 5 percent loss is considered a health benefit.

The study is the most rigorous investigation yet of a commercial weight
loss program. Experts say that although dieters likely hope for better
results, a 5 percent reduction is enough to cut the risks of developing
such diseases as diabetes, heart disease and cancer.

The experts said the study indicated the value of programs that are
well-rounded, promote gradual weight loss and include a strong support
system.

Studies conducted on obese people enrolled in hospital-based experiments
have indicated that within a year, dieters regain one-third to one-half of
the weight they lost. Within five years, most gain almost all of it back.
Studies on commercial programs are rare.

Weight Watchers is a method that restricts calories using a point system so
dieters lose a maximum of two pounds a week. Daily points are spent by
eating and earned through exercise. Dieters are weighed at regular
meetings, where tips and experiences are shared.

The latest study, paid for by Weight Watchers, involved a random sample of
870 lifetime members of Weight Watchers in the United States -- those who
reached their goal weight and maintained it for six weeks.

The dieters, most of whom were married, middle-aged, affluent women, were
followed for five years. A total of 649 were interviewed by telephone about
their starting weight when they entered Weight Watchers, their goal weight
and their current weight. Another 226 were brought in to be weighed, as a
way of seeing how accurate the weights reported over the telephone were.

The average weights reported over the telephone were 3 percent lower than
the weights confirmed by scales, so all the self-reported weights were
adjusted upward by 3 percent.

The average starting weight was 165 pounds -- overweight, but not obese.
The dieters lost about 22 pounds, or 13.3 percent, on the program.

Five years later, most of the dieters had regained 11 pounds.

Half of them still weighed 5 percent less than when they entered Weight
Watchers. Only a small fraction of dieters in studies based at universities
or hospitals achieve that.

"This is impressive," said Dr. Pierre Lefebvre, emeritus professor of
medicine at Liege University in Belgium, who was not connected to the study
nor to Weight Watchers.

"Treating overweight and obesity is a very difficult task and every means
to achieve the goal is good," he said. "Drugs do not work regularly; drugs
have side effects. Exercise is not easy."

"Motivation is very important. Weight Watchers is part of behavioral
management of a serious condition and they do it very very well," said
Lefebvre, president of the International Diabetes Federation.

Andrew Prentice, an obesity expert from the London School of Hygiene and
Tropical Medicine in London, agreed that the results shown in the study are
enough to improve health.

"Most of these patients would have gained weight in those five years," said
Prentice, who was not connected with the research. "Even if we just stop
them gaining weight, that would be success."

On the Net:
www.weigh****chers.com

European Congress on Obesity, www.eco2004.cz/