2.5 years follow-up of weight and Body Mass Index values in the Weight Control for Life! program: a descriptive...

This descriptive study monitored weight, Body Mass Index, and percent excess weight changes in 60 clients, (44 women, 16 men) at about 1 year and 2.5 years following participation in the Weight Control for Life! program. The program integrates the habit reversal treatment model with contingency management and operant reinforcement principles; nutrition education; physical activity; stress management; cognitive-restructuring; relapse prevention; social support; intensive, on-going maintenance; self-monitoring; and the use of a medically supervised very-low-calorie diet or low-calorie-diet. Clients' pretreatment and posttreatment weights averaged 104.28 kg (229.42 lb) and 79.89 kg (175.76 lb), respectively, representing a 68% reduction in excess body weight at the end of the weight loss phase of the program. Mean weight loss at about 1 year and 2.5 years post weight loss was 19.28 kg (42.42 lb) and 13.09 kg (28.80 lb), indicating subjects maintained 75% and 52% of their weight losses at these two time periods. Men lost more weight and maintained better losses than women. Overall, there was a 41% reduction in excess body weight at the end of 2.5 years.