The development of a program for treating obesity

During its first three years of operation a health center in California developed a program for treating obesity. It was originally called a weight-control class and had an educational orientation. The first series of classes lasted 12 weeks and subsequent series lasted six weeks. After four series, attendance had dropped drastically and the class leaders were ready to discontinue the program. Health center staff encouraged them to continue, and during the next series they made several changes that made the program more successful. The program was called a health and weight class and included patients who were not obese. The leaders restricted the class to adult women, drew up a specific diet plan, and set a weight-loss goal of two pounds a week.