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

“…In the present study, there was no disincentive to remain in treatment because services were provided at no cost to participants. Our findings, however, are consistent with the results of several other clinical trials, which found modest positive, if any, relationships between participants' expected and achieved weight losses 4,5,10 and no relationship between failure to meet expectations and attrition. 1 This study found that the intensity of the therapy provided did not appear to influence weight loss expectations or goals to a significant degree.…”

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

“…In the present study, there was no disincentive to remain in treatment because services were provided at no cost to participants. Our findings, however, are consistent with the results of several other clinical trials, which found modest positive, if any, relationships between participants' expected and achieved weight losses 4,5,10 and no relationship between failure to meet expectations and attrition. 1 This study found that the intensity of the therapy provided did not appear to influence weight loss expectations or goals to a significant degree.…”

Initial weight loss goals: have they changed and do they matter?

“…Weight loss goals in our study also did not influence attrition. Our result is consistent with previous studies (1,5,6) that also did not find goals to relate to attrition, but differ from three studies (9,13,14), that indicated that larger goals positively related to attrition. Dalle Grave (13) previously noted that the setting of the weight loss effort (free/compensated clinical trials versus commercial programmes paid for by participants) may mediate the relationship between goals and attrition.…”

Combining biological and psychosocial baseline variables did not improve prediction of outcome of a very‐low‐energy diet in a clinic referral population

“…Many previous attempts to predict weight loss and/or attrition from obesity treatment programmes from baseline characteristics have yielded mixed results for most of the variables examined [reviewed in ]. Nonetheless, other reports are consistent with our finding of associations between lower depression scores , higher ‘dream’ percentage weight loss and male sex with weight loss success. The present findings of associations between attrition with younger age and greater perceived stress are also in keeping with other studies.…”

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

“…In the present study, there was no disincentive to remain in treatment because services were provided at no cost to participants. Our findings, however, are consistent with the results of several other clinical trials, which found modest positive, if any, relationships between participants' expected and achieved weight losses 4,5,10 and no relationship between failure to meet expectations and attrition. 1 This study found that the intensity of the therapy provided did not appear to influence weight loss expectations or goals to a significant degree.…”

Initial weight loss goals: have they changed and do they matter?

“…Weight loss goals in our study also did not influence attrition. Our result is consistent with previous studies (1,5,6) that also did not find goals to relate to attrition, but differ from three studies (9,13,14), that indicated that larger goals positively related to attrition. Dalle Grave (13) previously noted that the setting of the weight loss effort (free/compensated clinical trials versus commercial programmes paid for by participants) may mediate the relationship between goals and attrition.…”

Combining biological and psychosocial baseline variables did not improve prediction of outcome of a very‐low‐energy diet in a clinic referral population

“…Many previous attempts to predict weight loss and/or attrition from obesity treatment programmes from baseline characteristics have yielded mixed results for most of the variables examined [reviewed in ]. Nonetheless, other reports are consistent with our finding of associations between lower depression scores , higher ‘dream’ percentage weight loss and male sex with weight loss success. The present findings of associations between attrition with younger age and greater perceived stress are also in keeping with other studies.…”

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

“…In the present study, there was no disincentive to remain in treatment because services were provided at no cost to participants. Our findings, however, are consistent with the results of several other clinical trials, which found modest positive, if any, relationships between participants' expected and achieved weight losses 4,5,10 and no relationship between failure to meet expectations and attrition. 1 This study found that the intensity of the therapy provided did not appear to influence weight loss expectations or goals to a significant degree.…”

Initial weight loss goals: have they changed and do they matter?

“…Weight loss goals in our study also did not influence attrition. Our result is consistent with previous studies (1,5,6) that also did not find goals to relate to attrition, but differ from three studies (9,13,14), that indicated that larger goals positively related to attrition. Dalle Grave (13) previously noted that the setting of the weight loss effort (free/compensated clinical trials versus commercial programmes paid for by participants) may mediate the relationship between goals and attrition.…”

Combining biological and psychosocial baseline variables did not improve prediction of outcome of a very‐low‐energy diet in a clinic referral population

“…Many previous attempts to predict weight loss and/or attrition from obesity treatment programmes from baseline characteristics have yielded mixed results for most of the variables examined [reviewed in ]. Nonetheless, other reports are consistent with our finding of associations between lower depression scores , higher ‘dream’ percentage weight loss and male sex with weight loss success. The present findings of associations between attrition with younger age and greater perceived stress are also in keeping with other studies.…”