Daily Self-Weighing to Control Body Weight in Adults

Abstract

The objective of this study is to review the history of daily self-weighing for weight control, discuss the possibility that self-weighing may cause adverse psychological symptoms, and propose mechanisms that explain how self-weighing facilitates weight control. A systematic forward (citation) tracking approach has been employed in this study. In the early literature, experimental tests did not demonstrate a benefit of adding daily self-weighing to traditional behavioral modification for weight loss. More recent studies have shown that daily self-weighing combined with personalized electronic feedback can produce and sustain weight loss with and without a traditional weight loss program. Daily self-weighing appears to be effective in preventing age-related weight gain. Apart from these experimental findings, there is considerable agreement that the frequency of self-weighing correlates with success in losing weight and sustaining the weight loss. The early literature suggested frequent self-weighing may be associated with negative psychological effects. However, more recent experimental trials do not substantiate such a causal relationship. In conclusion, daily self-weighing may be a useful strategy for certain adults to prevent weight gain, lose weight, or prevent weight regain after loss. More research is needed to better understand the role of different types of feedback, who benefits most from self-weighing, and at what frequency.

Self‐weighing behavior in individuals with eating disorders

“…There is evidence that self‐weighing is an effective strategy for adult weight management . Although some research has investigated potential harmful correlates of weighing, those with EDs have largely been ignored.…”

“…Controversy remains about appropriate frequency of self‐weighing in both groups. On one hand, self‐weighing is increasingly studied for weight loss, prevention of weight regain, and age‐related weight gain . However, for some, self‐weighing may be associated with negative psychological effects; one nonclinical sample of women experienced increases in anxiety and depression and a decrease in self‐esteem attributable to daily weighing …”

Frequent Self‐Weighing with Electronic Graphic Feedback to Prevent Age‐Related Weight Gain in Young Adults

“…Higher frequency of self‐weighing has been shown to be associated with weight control, mainly weight loss and maintenance of weight loss . The frequency of weighing was high in the CTM group.…”

Qualitative analysis of the role of self-weighing as a strategy of weight control for weight-loss maintainers in comparison with a normal, stable weight group

“…A C C E P T E D ACCEPTED MANUSCRIPT 4 Regular self-weighing has been examined in literature reviews and is associated with greater 78 weight loss or prevention of weight regain (Pacanowski et al, 2014;Vanwormer, French, 79 Pereira, & Welsh, 2008; Zheng et al, 2015). A higher weighing frequency was also associated 80 with greater weight loss or less weight gain at 24-month follow-up in two large trials 81 conducted in the community ( that many of the studies reported a negative relationship between self-weighing and affect 94 (4/10), self-esteem (3/4), body evaluation (4/10) and eating behaviors or cognitions (6/13), 95 particularly for certain subgroups, such as women or young adults (Pacanowski,Linde,& 96 Neumark-Sztainer, 2015).…”

“…This number might increase if we could transfer the know-how of those 58 who succeeded to those who tend to regain weight. 59 After long being criticized as being responsible for the increase in disordered eating, self-60 weighing has attracted the interest of researchers as a weight-control strategy (Pacanowski, 61 Bertz, & Levitsky, 2014). Weight monitoring belongs to the strategies of weight-loss 62 maintenance identified by the National Weight Control Registry (NWCR), which has been 63 enrolling successful weight-loss maintainers for twenty years.…”