Recovery from weight regain among long-term weight loss maintainers in WW

This study sought to understand the process and strategies to recover from regain among weight loss maintainers.

Participants in WeightWatchers (WW; n = 2457) had lost ≥9 kg for ≥1 year and were grouped based on self-reported weight change after maximum loss: sustained maintenance ("Stable"), ups and downs ("Gain-Lose"), and regain ("Gain"). The groups were compared on weight control strategies, and the Gain-Lose and Gain groups reported on attempts to reverse weight regain.

Mean weight loss was 28.5 kg and duration of ≥9 kg loss was 3.5 years. During this time, 48% reported weight stability, and the remaining reported some regain (Gain-Lose, 29% or Gain, 23%). Among Gain and Gain-Lose, action to lose regained weight occurred after gaining >4 kg. Compared with Gain, Gain-Lose sustained reengagement efforts longer (16 vs. 10 weeks) and had better dietary choices (3.4 vs. 3.2), self-monitoring (2.9 vs. 2.7), and psychological coping (2.5 vs. 2.4) scores. Among Gain-Lose, the most successful (< 2.3 kg vs. >2.3 kg regain) initiated weight loss efforts after less regain (2.3 vs. 4.5 kg).

Reengaging with weight loss after regains may be most successful if focused on diet, self-monitoring, and psychological coping and initiated with less regain.