Saturday, September 10th 2011, 4:00 AM
Want to be a successful loser? Try Weight Watchers rather than just following generic advice from your doctor.
Adults referred to Weight Watchers shed twice as much weight as people who received standard care over a 12-month period, according to a study published Thursday.
In clinical trials, researchers assessed 772 overweight and obese adults in Australia, Germany, and Britain.
About half the patients received a year's standard care, while the other half were given a 12-month free membership for a Weight Watchers group near their homes.
Sixty-one percent of the participants assigned to the commercial program completed it, while 51% of the "standard care" group finished their program.
The average weight loss at 12 months was 11.2 lbs for those using Weight Watchers versus 4.8 lbs for those on standard care. For those who completed the full 12 months, average weight loss was 14.7 lbs on Weight Watchers versus 7.3 lbs from the group given only doctor's care.
Participants randomized to Weight Watchers were also more than three times as likely to lose at least five percent of their body weight, said the study, published in The Lancet.
Weight Watchers offers weekly weighing and group support. It also promotes a balanced, reduced-energy diet along with increased physical activity.
Primary care providers -- sometimes nurses, sometimes doctors -- generally offer weight-loss treatment in line with national guidelines, but vary in the level of supervision.
"The similar weight losses achieved in Australia, Germany, and the UK implies that this commercial programme, in partnership with primary care providers, is a robust intervention that is generalisable to other economically developed countries," the researchers concluded.
The researchers emphasised the important role of family doctors and primary health-care providers in giving advice, and in making referrals to commercial weight-loss programmes.
"Further research is needed to examine long-term weight loss maintenance, together with a formal analysis of cost-effectiveness," they added.
With AFP Relaxnews
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario