Comparison of three worksite weight-loss competitions

Competition is an effective means of promoting weight loss in worksite programs. This study was designed to determine the most effective structure of competition through a comparison of two kinds of competition within one worksite. Two competitions were between teams and one was among individuals. While all three competitions produced significant weight loss and lower attrition than previous worksite programs, the team competitions produced significantly lower attrition rates and significantly greater weight loss than the individual competition. Patterns of loss over time and the distribution of losses for groups also differed, with a smaller proportion of successful participants in the individual competition. The results suggest that team support as well as competition is a necessary component of effective worksite weight loss competitions.