Weight maintenance, behaviors and barriers among previous participants of a university-based weight control program

Abstract

Objective: To examine weight loss maintenance among previous participants of a university-based behavioral weight management program and to compare behavioral strategies and perceived barriers between successful and unsuccessful maintainers. Method: Previous program participants (n ¼ 179) completed mailed surveys assessing current weight, weight control behaviors and perceived barriers to weight loss maintenance. Results: At 14.1 ± 10.8 months following completion of treatment, survey respondents were on average 12.6 ± 12.6 kg, or 11.3±10.7%, below baseline weight; 76.5% of respondents had successfully maintained weight, defined as maintaining a weight loss of at least 5% below baseline. Compared to unsuccessful maintainers, successful maintainers reported practicing four dietary and three physical activity weight control strategies more often and experiencing five barriers to healthy eating and exercise less often. After accounting for time since treatment and maximum weight loss while in treatment, the strongest correlates of successful weight loss maintenance were frequent exercise and perceived difficulty of weight management. Conclusions: Clinically meaningful weight loss maintenance was achieved by the majority of participants. Findings support the literature indicating that physical activity is one of the strongest predictors of successful weight loss maintenance. Findings also suggest that strategies to reduce the level of perceived effort required for long-term weight control may improve maintenance outcomes.

The Benefit of the Mediterranean-Style Diet in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Diabetes

“…However, Befort and colleagues [10] have proved that nearly 50% of participants who were 3 years out from their weight-loss phase of treatment maintained a 5% weight loss. They also found that when increased physical activity was included in the lifestylemodification approach, the weight loss was more successfully maintained.…”

Setting Overweight Adults in Motion: The Role of Health Beliefs

“…Obesity is a risk factor of chronic diseases such as diabetes type 2 and cardiovascular disease [3]. Physical exercise programs have been demonstrated to reduce weight, to support preservation of the reduced weight [4][5][6][7][8], to reduce obesity-related health risks [9], and to improve mental health [10][11][12]. Although physical exercise is beneficial beyond doubt and large physical activity promotion programs have been implemented [13,14], the majority of overweight persons does not engage in sportive activities [15].…”

Understanding and influencing the maintenance of physical activity and dietary behaviour change in breast cancer survivors

“…The importance of the collection of strategies discussed above to weight loss maintenance is supported by the broader descriptive literature (Befort et al, 2008;Elfhag et al, 2005;Gorin et al, 2004;Kayman et al, 1990;Klem et al, 1997;Kruger et al, 2006;Mcguire et al, 1999;Vanderwood et al, 2011;Wadden et al, 2004;Westenhoefer et al, 2004;Wing et al, 2001;Wyatt et al, 2002). Two randomised controlled trials have experimentally investigated whether manipulating the content of an extended contact intervention to focus on strategies related to satisfaction with weight loss outcomes or motivation for weight loss (West et al, 2011) influenced weight loss maintenance.…”

“…Self-regulation strategies include self-monitoring, goal setting, planning, self-reward, problem solving, and relapse prevention; all of which have been shown in other studies to be important in weight loss maintenance (Burke et al, 2011;Butryn et al, 2007;Elfhag et al, 2005;Wing et al, 2001). Not only has self-monitoring of weight been shown to be important for weight loss maintenance (as evidenced above), but self-monitoring of physical activity and dietary intake has also been associated with successful weight loss maintenance (Befort et al, 2008;Byrne et al, 2003;Kruger et al, 2006;Vanderwood et al, 2011;Wadden et al, 2004;Wing et al, 2001;Wing et al, 2005). Self-monitoring is thought to impact on maintenance of behaviours because it requires individuals to pay attention to their actions, the conditions under which they occur, and their immediate and long-term effects (Bandura, 1998;Burke et al, 2009).…”

“…Self-monitoring is thought to impact on maintenance of behaviours because it requires individuals to pay attention to their actions, the conditions under which they occur, and their immediate and long-term effects (Bandura, 1998;Burke et al, 2009). The ability to set and consistently reevaluate goals related to physical activity and diet, make and follow through with plans to meet these goals, and self-reward for goal attainment has been reported to be associated with successful weight loss maintenance (Befort et al, 2008;Kruger et al, 2006;Perri et al, 2009). The ability to solve problems, overcome barriers, and identify and correct small slips in physical activity and dietary behaviour to prevent small weight regains has also been significantly associated with long-term weight loss maintenance (Perri et al, 2001;Vanderwood et al, 2011).…”