Regular self-weighing to promote weight maintenance after intentional weight loss: a quasi-randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Background: Many overweight people take action to lose weight but most regain this weight.

Purpose: To examine the effectiveness of a weight maintenance intervention focused on regular self-weighing after receiving a 12-week weight loss programme.

Methods: Quasi-randomized controlled trial of 3768 obese or overweight men and women. The intervention group (n = 3290) received two telephone calls, the offer of free weighing scales, encouragement to weigh themselves weekly and record this on a card. The main outcome was change in weight between 3 and 12 months.

Results: Using intention to treat analysis both groups regained weight; however, the intervention group on average regained 1.23 kg, whereas the control group regained 1.83 kg. Adjusting for covariates resulted in a mean difference of 0.68 kg (95% CI 0.12, 1.24) at 12-month follow-up.

Conclusions: Encouraging people who have recently lost weight to weigh themselves regularly prevents some weight regain.

Keywords: behaviour change; obesity; self-weighing; weight maintenance.