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From: The Masster on 21 Apr 2008 20:40
Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord. 1999 Dec;23(12):1314-9

The prevalence of weight loss maintenance among American adults.McGuire MT,
Wing RR, Hill JO.
University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, PA, USA. mcguire(a)epi.umn.edu

BACKGROUND: Previous studies suggest that few individuals achieve long-term
weight loss maintenance. Because most of these studies were based on
clinical samples and focused on only one episode of weight loss, these
results may not reflect the actual prevalence of weight loss maintenance in
the general population. DESIGN: A random digit dial telephone survey was
conducted to determine the point prevalence of weight loss maintenance in a
nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. Weight
loss maintainers were defined as individuals who, at the time of the
survey, had maintained a weight loss of > or =10% from their maximum weight
for at least 1 y. The prevalence of weight loss maintenance was first
determined for the total group (n = 500), and then for the subgroup of
individuals who were overweight (body mass index BMI > or =27 kg/m2 at
their maximum (n = 228). RESULTS: Weight loss was quite common in this
sample: 54% of the total sample and 62% of those who were ever overweight
reported that they had lost > or =10% of their maximum weight at least once
in their lifetime, with approximately one-half to two-thirds of these cases
being intentional weight loss. Among those who had achieved an intentional
weight loss of > or =10%, 47-49% had maintained this weight loss for at
least 1 y at the time of the survey; 25-27% had maintained it for 5 y or
more. Fourteen percent of all subjects surveyed and 21% of those with a
history of obesity were currently 10% below their highest weight, had
reduced intentionally, and had maintained this 10% weight loss for at least
1 y. CONCLUSIONS: A large proportion of the American population has lost >
or =10% of their maximum weight and has maintained this weight loss for at
least 1 y. These findings are in sharp contrast to the belief that few
people succeed in long-term weight loss maintenance.



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