Who Says Americans Can’t Maintain Weight Loss?

Making News:

Here’s some positive news about the average American’s ability to lose weight and keep it off. In a new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nearly 6 in 10 people maintained their weight loss to within 5% over a year’s time. Unfortunately, those with more weight to lose were also more likely to regain pounds. The study appeared in the July issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine (2007; 33 [1], 34–40).

Taking data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, researchers analyzed results for 1,310 adults (ages 20–84). The participants had experienced “substantial” weight loss—10% of their initial weight. After a year, 7.6% of survey respondents were still losing weight, almost 60% had maintained their weight (within 5%), and 33.5% had regained weight.

“Weight maintenance following weight loss is doable,” said lead author Edward Weiss, MD, MPH, a medical epidemiologist with the National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Nutrition and Physical Activity, in a press release. “We’re still learning the things that are necessary for weight maintenance in the long run.”