Successful and unsuccessful participants in a weight reduction program. What are the differences?

Karin Metz, Christoph Kröger, Rose Shaw, Ulrike Pelda, Munich

Programs based on behavioural therapy have been successful in short-term weight reduction. However, the few longterm studies on the maintenance of weight reduction have often recorded weight increases. A survey was carried out on 700 persons who had taken part in the group program “Losing weight sensibly” between several months and 10 years previously.

The survey covered changes in weight, nutritional behaviour, exercise and general well-being. The main result was a marked reduction in weight of 10 % immediately after the end of the course. At the time of the follow-up survey , weight reduction was 7% relative to the starting weight. Successful participants were defined as those with more than 10 % weight loss in the follow-up survey. Unsuccessful participants were defined as those with no weight loss or an increase in weight. There were marked differences between these groups with respect to code of conduct, nutritional behaviour, exercise, social support, implementation of what was learnt and general well-being.

Key words: Weight reduction, nutritional changes, obesity, physical activity, code of conduct, weight loss course.

Sie finden den Artikel in deutscher Sprache in Ernährungs Umschau 12/08 ab Seite 712.