Long-term weight-loss maintenance: a meta-analysis of US studies123

• Published in: The American journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 74; no. 5; pp. 579 - 584
• Main Authors: Anderson, James W, Konz, Elizabeth C, Frederich, Robert C, Wood, Constance L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Inc 01.11.2001
• Subjects: hypoenergetic balanced diet; meta-analysis; very-low-energy diet; weight loss; Weight maintenance; hypoenergetic balanced diet; weight loss; meta-analysis; Weight maintenance; very-low-energy diet
• ISSN: 0002-9165
• DOI: 10.1093/ajcn/74.5.579

Current perception is that participants of a structured weight-loss program regain all of their weight loss within 5 y. The objective was to examine the long-term weight-loss maintenance of individuals completing a structured weight-loss program. Studies were required to 1 ) have been conducted in the United States, 2 ) have included participants in a structured weight-loss program, 3 ) have provided follow-up data with variance estimates for ≥2 y. Primary outcome variables were weight-loss maintenance in kilograms, weight-loss maintenance as a percentage of initial weight loss, and weight loss as a percentage of initial body weight (reduced weight). Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Successful very-low-energy diets (VLEDs) were associated with significantly greater weight-loss maintenance than were successful hypoenergetic balanced diets (HBDs) at all years of follow-up. The percentage of individuals at 4 or 5 y of follow-up for VLEDs and HBDs were 55.4% and 79.7%, respectively. The results for VLEDs and HBDs, respectively, were as follows: weight-loss maintenance, 7.1 kg (95% CI: 6.1, 8.1 kg) and 2.0 (1.5, 2.5) kg; percentage weight-loss maintenance, 29% (25%, 33%) and 17% (13%, 22%); and reduced weight, 6.6% (5.7%, 7.5%) and 2.1% (1.6%, 2.7%). Weight-loss maintenance did not differ significantly between women and men. Six studies reported that groups who exercised more had significantly greater weight-loss maintenance than did those who exercised less. Five years after completing structured weight-loss programs, the average individual maintained a weight loss of >3 kg and a reduced weight of >3% of initial body weight. After VLEDs or weight loss of ≥20 kg, individuals maintained significantly more weight loss than after HBDs or weight losses of <10 kg.