Are Unrealistic Weight Loss Goals Associated with Outcomes for Overweight Women?

Abstract

ROTHMAN. Are unrealistic weight loss goals associated with outcomes for overweight women? Obes Res. 2004;12:569-576. Objective: To examine cross-sectional correlates of current, goal, and dream weight and their prospective associations with weight loss in treatment. Research Methods and Procedures: Goal and dream weights, demographic characteristics, and psychosocial factors were assessed by self-report questionnaire in 302 adult women enrolled in a weight loss trial. Height and weight were assessed at baseline, after 8 weeks of active treatment, and at 6-and 18-month follow-up. Regression techniques examined associations among baseline, goal, and dream weights, psychosocial factors, and treatment outcomes. Results: On average, goal and dream weight losses were unrealistically high (Ϫ24% and Ϫ30%, respectively). High goals were associated with greater expected effort and greater expected reward but were not associated with psychological distress. Goal and dream weight losses were only weakly associated with behavioral or weight outcomes. An association between higher dream weight losses and greater weight loss at 18 months was the only outcome result to reach statistical significance. Discussion: Results suggest that lack of realism in weight loss goals is not important enough to justify counseling people to accept lower weight loss goals when trying to lose weight.

The role of patients' expectations and goals in the behavioral and pharmacological treatment of obesity

“…[1][2][3][4][5] The losses they expected after 1 year of behavioral 19,20 There was a small positive relationship between participants' expected and achieved weight losses at week 26. Thus, participants with higher expectations lost more weight in the first 6 months of treatment.…”

“…At both screening and baseline visits, participants completed a questionnaire that asked their expectations and goals for weight loss. Specifically, they were asked 'How much weight do you expect to lose after the first [4,12,26 and 52] weeks of the program?' Participants also answered, 'How much weight would you like to lose in total, whether or not you think you can achieve this lossy Another way of asking this question is 'what is your ultimate weight loss goal?''…”

“…Such goals were either unrelated to weight loss 5,[10][11][12] or were associated with slightly greater losses. 4 In contrast to Dalle Grave et al, 9 Foster et al 1 found no relationship between weight loss goals and attrition from treatment.…”

“…[1][2][3][4] Dieters maintain these expectations even when repeatedly informed that they are likely to lose only 5-15% of initial weight, 5 which is the size of the losses typically induced by current behavioral and pharmacological interventions. 6 Investigators disagree concerning the consequences of patients' unrealistic goals and expectations.…”

“…Prior studies of weight loss goals have had several limitations including small sample sizes, 1,5,13 as well as the provision of relatively brief therapies, 4,12 only one type of therapy, 1,10 or unspecified therapies. 3,9 It is possible that the importance of goals and expectations differs across treatment approaches.…”