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Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2014 Jan;22(1):39-44.
doi: 10.1002/oby.20506. Epub 2013 Jul 29.

Greater weight loss with increasing age in the weight loss maintenance trial

Laura P Svetkey  1 , Jeanne M Clark, Kristine Funk, Leonor Corsino, Bryan C Batch, Jack F Hollis, Lawrence J Appel, Phillip J Brantley, Catherine M Loria, Catherine M Champagne, William M Vollmer, Victor J Stevens
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Greater weight loss with increasing age in the weight loss maintenance trial

Laura P Svetkey et al. Obesity (Silver Spring). 2014 Jan.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the effect of age on weight loss and weight loss maintenance in participants in the Weight Loss Maintenance trial (WLM).

Design and methods: Secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial of overweight/obese adults with CVD risk factors was conducted. Participants were 1685 adults with baseline BMI 25-45 kg m(2) with hypertension and/or dyslipidemia. Those who lost at least 4kg in an initial 6-month behavioral weight loss intervention (N = 1,032) were randomly assigned to a 30-month maintenance phase of self-directed control (SD), monthly personal counseling (PC), or unlimited access to an internet-based intervention (IT). Age groups were defined post-hoc and weight change was compared among age groups.

Results: Participants ≥60 years old initially lost more weight than younger individuals, and sustained greater weight loss in IT and PC but not in SD (P value for trend 0.024, 0.002, and 0.36, respectively).

Conclusions: In WLM, adults age ≥60 years had greater initial weight loss and greater sustained weight loss over 3 years, compared to younger adults. Older adults had greater weight loss maintenance with either personal counseling or internet-based intervention. Future research should determine optimal implementation strategies and effects of weight loss on health outcomes in older adults.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest

The authors have no competing interests.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Phase I weight loss by age group N = 1684). Percent change with Standard Error. Adjusted for site and entry weight.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Effect Of Treatment Group On Percent Weight Change From Entry To End Of Phase II, By Age Group. Adjusted for site, race (African American versus not African American), gender, race- gender interaction, entry weight, treatment group, and age-treatment interaction.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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