An evaluation of a television-delivered behavioral weight loss program: are the ratings acceptable?

This experiment evaluated the efficacy of television delivery of a behavioral weight reduction program. Seventy-one overweight adults were randomly assigned to a live-contact weight loss group that was videotaped for viewing by other groups, a live-contact group that was not videotaped, a television-delivered group that observed the videotaped weight loss sessions, or a waiting-list control group. Participants in all 3 treatment groups lost significantly more weight during the 8-week treatment program than those in the waiting-list control group. There was no significant weight loss differences among the 3 treatment groups during the program. These weight changes were maintained at 3-month follow-up. At 15-month follow-up, the television-delivered group and the live-contact group maintained their weight losses, whereas the videotaped group did not. Cost-effectiveness analyses indicated that the television-delivered group received the most cost-effective treatment.