Dietary treatment provided clinically relevant weight loss in lactating postpartum women, which was sustained at 9 mo after treatment. The combined treatment did not yield significant weight or body-composition changes beyond those of dietary treatment alone.
A low-intensity diet treatment delivered by a dietitian within the primary health care setting can produce clinically relevant and sustainable weight loss in postpartum women with overweight and obesity. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT01949558.
Obesity is a topic on which many views are strongly held in the absence of scientific evidence to support those views, and some views are strongly held despite evidence to contradict those views. We refer to the former as “presumptions” and the latter as “myths”. Here we present nine myths and ten presumptions surrounding the effects of rapid weight loss; setting realistic goals in weight loss therapy; stage of change or readiness to lose weight; physical education classes; breast-feeding; daily self-weighing; genetic contribution to obesity; the “Freshman 15”; food deserts; regularly eating (versus skipping) breakfast; eating close to bedtime; eating more fruits and vegetables; weight cycling (i.e. yo-yo dieting); snacking; built environment; reducing screen time in childhood obesity; portion size; participation in family mealtime; and drinking water as a means of weight-loss. For each of these, we describe the belief and present evidence that the belief is widely held or stated, reasons to support the conjecture that the belief might be true, evidence to directly support or refute the belief, and findings from randomized controlled trials, if available. We conclude with a discussion of the implications of these determinations, conjecture on why so many myths and presumptions exist, and suggestions for limiting the spread of these and other unsubstantiated beliefs about obesity domain.
Background
Young adults display substantial weight gain. Preventing this
age-related weight gain would reduce overweight and obesity.
Objective
We evaluated an internet based intervention using Internet-connected
scales and graphic email feedback; the Caloric Titration Method (CTM), to
reduce age-related weight gain over the course of 1 y among first-year
college students.
Design
First-year college students (n=167) were
randomized to (CTM) or control (C) group. Both groups were provided
Internet-connected scales. CTM group was instructed to weigh daily, view a
weight graph emailed to them after weighing, and try to maintain their
weight as indicated in the graph. The C group could weigh at any time, but
did not receive feedback. At six months and 1 year the C group were notified
to provide weights. Intention to treat analysis, using a mixed model
adjusted for baseline weight, BMI and gender was used to analyze the effect
of the intervention.
Results
Baseline Body Mass Index was 22.9 ± 3.0 kg/m2.
Frequency of self-weighing (median) was 5 times/week in the CTM group,
compared to 1 time/week in C (p<0.001). Ninety-five
percent of the CTM participants weighed ≥3 times/week, compared to
15% in C group (p<0.001). After 1 year the
C group had gained 1.1 ± 4.4 kg whereas the CTM group lost 0.5
± 3.7 kg, yielding a significant overall time*group
interaction (F=3.39, p=0.035). The
difference in weight change between the two groups at 1 year was significant
(p=0.004). Weight change of the CTM group was
not different from zero whereas weight gain in C group was significant.
Retention was 81%.
Conclusions
The internet based frequent self-weighing CTM system was effective in
preventing age-related weight gain in young adults over one year and thus
offers promise to reduce overweight and obesity.
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