TUESDAY, Oct. 9 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that if you want to lose weight, don't try to do it alone.
"Group-based weight-loss treatment produced weight loss, whether delivered by a professional or peer counselor," said study author Angela Marinilli Pinto, assistant professor of psychology at Baruch College of the City University of New York. "When people are in a group with others on the same journey, they feel there is that element of, 'OK, this worked for him or her, perhaps it will work for me. Perhaps I can give it a try.'"
The research was published Oct. 9 in the journal Obesity.
Pinto and her team randomly assigned 141 overweight or obese men and women to one of three groups.
One group got 48 weeks of behavioral weight-loss treatment from a health professional.
A second group participated for 48 weeks in Weight Watchers, where the meetings are led by members who have achieved and maintained a healthy goal weight.
A third group got combined treatment. They first had 12 weeks of behavioral weight-loss treatment from a health professional, and then transitioned to 36 weeks of Weight Watchers participation.
Pinto said she chose Weight Watchers because it is the largest commercial program in the United States. It is also oriented to behavior change and included information on modifying the diet and increasing physical activity to lose weight and maintain the loss.
Pinto's team was testing the hypothesis that the combination approach would produce a bigger weight loss than going to Weight Watchers alone. Starting with the professionally trained leaders, she thought, would be a good jump start to the weight-loss program.
The findings were a surprise. At 48 weeks, the researchers found no evidence that adding brief treatment led by professionals, and then transitioning to the Weight Watchers program, improved results.
Original post:
Group Programs for Weight Loss May Work Best
