Commercial weight-loss programs like Weight Watchers may be just as effective in losing weight as clinical programs, and the key ingredient to success in both programs is buddying up, according to a new study published Tuesday in the journal Obesity.

In the study, 141 overweight and obese adults were randomly assigned into one of three groups -- a weight-loss behavioral program led by a health professional, or Weight Watchers, led by peers who had achieved their own weight-loss success, or a combination of both programs.

Overweight and obese adults who participate in any of the three weight-loss treatments that involved group counseling, whether it was with a health professional or with peers, as well as physical activity and diet change lost a significant amount of weight nearly a year later, the study found.

"When people who are working on a similar problem get together, they can support each other so they don't feel alone in this weight-loss journey," said Angela Pinto, assistant professor of psychology at Baruch College of the City University of New York and lead researcher.

"With the group idea, there's a sense of belonging," said Pinto, adding that participants may be more likely to complete their weight-loss goal when others are working with them.

Participants in both programs lost about the same amount of weight in total. However, more than double the number of participants enrolled in the Weight Watchers program lost 10 percent or more of their starting weight compared with the other two groups.

The outcome of the study showed that Weight Watchers can produce clinically relevant weight loss, according to Pinto.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans are considered overweight or obese, according to the American Dietetic Association.

The study is the first to provide a head-to-head comparison between a commercial weight loss program and a clinical weight loss program.

The findings suggest that people who are looking to lose weight more affordably can still do so successfully, the researchers said.

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Study: Weight Watchers as Successful as Clinical Weight-Loss Programs

Commercial weight-loss programs like Weight Watchers may be just as effective in losing weight as clinical programs, and the key ingredient to success in both programs is buddying up, according to a new study published Tuesday in the journal Obesity.

In the study, 141 overweight and obese adults were randomly assigned into one of three groups -- a weight-loss behavioral program led by a health professional, or Weight Watchers, led by peers who had achieved their own weight-loss success, or a combination of both programs.

Overweight and obese adults who participate in any of the three weight-loss treatments that involved group counseling, whether it was with a health professional or with peers, as well as physical activity and diet change lost a significant amount of weight nearly a year later, the study found.

"When people who are working on a similar problem get together, they can support each other so they don't feel alone in this weight-loss journey," said Angela Pinto, assistant professor of psychology at Baruch College of the City University of New York and lead researcher.

"With the group idea, there's a sense of belonging," said Pinto, adding that participants may be more likely to complete their weight-loss goal when others are working with them.

Participants in both programs lost about the same amount of weight in total. However, more than double the number of participants enrolled in the Weight Watchers program lost 10 percent or more of their starting weight compared with the other two groups.

The outcome of the study showed that Weight Watchers can produce clinically relevant weight loss, according to Pinto.

Nearly two-thirds of Americans are considered overweight or obese, according to the American Dietetic Association.

The study is the first to provide a head-to-head comparison between a commercial weight loss program and a clinical weight loss program.

The findings suggest that people who are looking to lose weight more affordably can still do so successfully, the researchers said.

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Study: Weight Watchers Equals Clinical Programs

NEW YORK, Oct. 9, 2012 /PRNewswire/ --A new National Institutes of Health (NIH)-funded study conducted at Baruch College and published in Obesity found that overweight and obese adults who participated in three different weight loss treatments, all involving intensive, multi-component counseling delivered in groups, lost significant weight after 48 weeks whether the treatment was led by a health professional or by someone who had previous weight loss success.

(Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20121009/NY89964-INFO)

This randomized clinical trial led by Angela Marinilli Pinto, PhD Assistant Professor of Psychology at Baruch College, is the first to compare professionally delivered group-based behavioral weight loss treatment considered the "gold standard" for treating moderate overweight and obesity- to Weight Watchers, which is led by trained peer counselors who have achieved their own successful weight loss. The findings open up the possibility of offering effective, affordable weight loss options to more Americans.

In this study, 141 overweight and obese men and women were randomly assigned to:

Weight Watchers was chosen because it is the largest commercial program in the United States and is behaviorally oriented and focuses on modifying diet and increasing physical activity to produce weight loss. The investigators hypothesized that the combined treatment would produce better weight losses than Weight Watchers alone. Assessments were conducted at baseline and weeks 12, 24, and 48, with weight change as the primary outcome.

All groups lost weight, but contrary to expectations, Weight Watchers participants lost more weight, on average, at the end of treatment compared to participants in the combination approach (mean weight loss in the professionally led program was not significantly different from either group). In fact, 37% ofWeight Watchers participants lost 10% or more of their starting weight compared to 15% of combined group participants and 11% of participants in the professionally led group.

Results of the study also showed that better meeting attendance was associated with greater weight losses during the first 24 weeks in all treatments. In the Weight Watchers group, this relationship was maintained even in the second half of treatment, suggesting that individuals who continue to stay involved in the Weight Watchers program do better.

"This study is important because, with almost 70% of American adults classified as overweight or obese, there is a need to provide practical treatment solutions that are effective, accessible, and affordable," Dr. Pinto explained. "Results of this study demonstrate that the Weight Watchers program can produce clinically meaningful weight losses." The cost of joining Weight Watchers is approximately $10 per week, which includes member registration, weekly meetings, and access to online resources.

This study (A.M. Pinto et al: Combining behavioral weight loss treatment and a commercial program: a randomized clinical trial. Obesity 2012; DOI: 10.1002/oby.20044) was funded by the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) of the National Institutes of Health. The mission of the NIH is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce the burdens of illness and disability.

About Baruch College: Baruch College is a senior college in the City University of New York (CUNY) with a total enrollment of more than 17,000 students, who represent 160 countries and speak more than 100 languages. Ranked among the top 15% of U.S. colleges and the No. 5 public regional university, Baruch College is regularly recognized as among the most ethnically diverse colleges in the country. As a public institution with a tradition of academic excellence, Baruch College offers accessibility and opportunity for students from every corner of New York City and from around the world. For more about Baruch College, go to http://www.baruch.cuny.edu/.

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Baruch College Professor Leads NIH Study On Weight Loss Interventions

A new study suggests weight-loss programs such as Weight Watchers may be just as beneficial as clinical programs likely because both use group-based approaches to achieve weight loss, according to U.S. News and World Report.

"Group-based weight-loss treatment produced weight loss, whether delivered by a professional or peer counselor," study author Angela Pinto, assistant professor of psychology at Baruch College of the City University of New York, told U.S. News and World Report. "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.'"

Pinto and her colleagues assigned 141 overweight and obese people to one of three groups. The first group was assigned to 48 weeks of behavioral weight-loss treatment from a health professional, the second participated in Weight Watchers for 48 weeks and the third received combined treatment the first 12 weeks were spent with a health professional and the next 36 weeks in Weight Watchers.

Pinto chose Weight Watchers because it is the largest commercial program in the United States, according to U.S. News and World Report.

After 48 weeks, participants in the Weight Watchers Group had lost the most weight 13.2 pounds while those in a professional program lost 11.9 pounds. The combination group lost 7.9 pounds on average.

Furthermore, the participants in in the Weight Watchers group were more likely to lose 10 percent or more of their starting weight than the other groups. Losing 10 percent of body weight is widely considered as a bench mark for reducing disease risk.

The study was published Tuesday in the journal Obesity.

Click for more from U.S. News and World Report.

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Study: Weight Watchers comparable to clinical weight loss programs

New Zealands largest and most successful weight-loss organisation has partnered with renowned chef, Pete Evans, to launch an ambitious, integrated campaign - Plate of our Nation. This national movement will investigate the root causes of New Zealands growing obesity problem in a bid to offer real solutions to get the nation healthy again.

Following an analytical research report that will give New Zealand a real insight into the deepening obesity crisis, the campaign aims to create debate on the nations attitudes to food, exercise and obesity through social media, the Plate of our Nation Facebook and Twitter page and http://www.plateofournation.co.nz.

The Plate of our Nation website is the centerpiece of the movement, providing a focal point for the nation to get behind the cause. Visitors will also be able to take a survey to see how they compare with the rest of the nation in terms of food knowledge and cooking skills. The website will include practical hints and tips; from shopping and cooking ideas, to recipes, together with experts from the fields of nutrition, exercise, psychology, obesity research and fashion providing advice, insight and action.

Plate of our Nation launches today, Wednesday 10 October, and is led by PR and social media, with the integrated campaign further bought to life through print and digital. QR codes have been placed on print collateral to take users to the Plate of our Nation mobile site.

Commenting on the Plate of our Nation campaign, Weight Watchers Australasia Managing Director, Joseph Saad: "As the leader in weight management we saw it as our duty to take a bold stand and help lead New Zealand to a healthier future. Put simply we created the Plate of our Nation movement to bring the obesity epidemic to the fore and the integrated campaign explains this in a simple and engaging way but most importantly, puts debate and the nations opinion at its core. Everyone can have their say because we truly believe that the public can collectively help us create positive solutions and changes among New Zealand families and homes."

Spearheading this movement alongside Weight Watchers, renowned chef and health advocate, Pete Evans added: "As a nation, weve swapped fresh for fast, quality for convenience and our knowledge of food and cooking skills are in decline. Combine this with more demanding and stressful lifestyles and New Zealand is simply not giving food and mealtimes the respect they deserve. I am truly delighted to lead the Weight Watchers Plate of our Nation movement, to rally the nation and positively influence this issue and the growing obesity epidemic in this country."

Sarah Hanrahan, NZ Nutrition Foundation Dietitian, is also giving the campaign her full support. "Kiwis are fast becoming some of the heaviest people in the world. Its time we took a good hard look at our eating habits and our attitudes towards food and start the debate around what we can change in our own backyard."

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Weight Watchers launches social movement

hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans announces the first prescription weight loss pill of it's kind. This prescription weight loss pill that contains Green Coffee Extract is the prescription diet pill of it's kind in the USA.

Birmingham, AL (PRWEB) October 09, 2012

hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans announces the first prescription weight loss pill of it's kind. This prescription weight loss pill that contains Green Coffee Extract is the prescription diet pill of it's kind in the USA.

hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans announced their unique prescription weight loss pills containing green coffee extract for fast weight loss. Green coffee bean is rich in chlorogenic acid, a polyphenol anti-oxidant which is also the active ingredient and its related compounds. It isnt present in commercial coffee as the roasting process breaks down chlorogenic acid. These weight loss drops from hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans is standardized to 50% chlorogenic acid. By inhibiting the release of G6P (glucose 6 phosphate, this extract reduce glycogenolysis in the liver (conversion of glycogen to glucose) and stabilizes blood sugar. As a result, lesser amounts of sugar are released into the blood stream, thereby helping people maintain the health blood sugar levels.

Additionally, these prescription weight loss pills boost fat mobilization by the liver especially while in ketosis to keep up with the energy requirements of the body, resulting in fast weight loss. hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans recommends a starting dose of 2 prescription weight loss pills a day, each containing 400 mg of green coffee extract. Clinial studies also showed that pills containing green coffee extract are extremely beneficial for patients with type II diabetes or insulin resistance as they could help them ketoadapt faster by shortening their Phase II.

According to an epidemiological study conducted in Italy, coffee has the greatest antioxidant capacity among the commonly consumed beverages. The effect of green coffee bean extract (GCBE) on fat accumulation and body weight in mice was assessed with the objective of investigating the effect of GCBE on mild obesity. These results suggested that caffeine was a suppressor of fat absorption, while chlorogenic acid was found to be partially involved in the suppressive effect of GCBE that resulted in the reduction of hepatic TG level. So, GCBE is possibly effective against weight gain and fat accumulation by inhibition of fat absorption and activation of fat metabolism in the liver, thereby resulting in effective and fast weight loss.

Recent research published in the Diabetes, Metabolic Syndrome and Obesity Journal about a 22-week crossover study to examine the efficacy and safety of a commercial green coffee extract product GCA at reducing weight and body mass in 16 overweight adults showed that GCA may be an effective nutraceutical in reducing weight in preobese adults, and may be an inexpensive means of preventing obesity in overweight adults. The study concluded that one promising nutraceutical is green coffee extract, which contains high concentrations of chlorogenic acids that are known to influence glucose and fat metabolism apart from offering other health benefits.

With adult weight gain and obesity becoming global problems, the additional problems of the cost as well as the potential side effects of prescription weight loss pills have led overweight and obese adults to try nutraceuticals that may aid fast weight loss. These affordable and effective prescription weight loss pills from hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans containing green coffee extract address this need and help dieters combat the aforementioned problems. When combined with their personalized physician managed and doctor designed weight loss diet, these prescription weight loss pills enhance the effectiveness of the program to promote fast weight loss.

Julie Wright hCGTreatments / Diet Doc 888-934-4451 Email Information

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hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans Announces the First Prescription Weight Loss Pill Containing ...

hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans announced their unique prescription weight loss pills. These prescription weight loss pills that contain raspberry ketones promote fast weight loss.

Billings, MT (PRWEB) October 09, 2012

hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans announced their unique prescription weight loss pills. These prescription weight loss pills that contain raspberry ketones promote fast weight loss.

hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans announced their unique prescription weight loss pills containing raspberry ketones for fast weight loss. A dietary supplement containing compounds from red raspberries, these raspberry ketones are enzymes whose effects have never been studied on animals only, never on humans and these are not to be confused with ketones made from body fat. Raspberry ketones increase the levels of norepinephrine, a hormone which increases the breakdown of triglycerides (stored fat) into free fatty acids, which are used to make ketones while on the diet. They also increase the secretion of a hormone called adiponectin that blood sugar and improves insulin resistance. Secreted by the fat cells in the body, this hormone can help address one of the major challenges for people with pre-diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and type II diabetics.

These also improve and even prevent fatty liver by boosting the breakup of fat cells and regulate the processing of sugars and fats in the blood. hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans recommends a starting dose of 2 to 4 of these prescription weight loss pills a day for fast weight loss. Each pill contains 100 mg of raspberry ketones, 1000 mcg of Vitamin B12 that increases fat metabolism, and 100 mg of L-Carnitine that enhances the efficient of fat transport out of the fat cells more efficiently. These prescription weight loss pills increase lipolysis (fat burning) or fat metabolism leading to fast weight loss and further promote the metabolic state of ketosis. hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans recommends combining these prescription weight loss pills with MCT oil to help dieters achieve a metabolic balance much more easily.

By incorporating this effective active ingredient of red raspberries into their prescription weight loss pills, hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans, they have added to their existing arsenal of amazingly effective and affordable line of weight loss products that help people fight obesity. When combined with their sophisticated doctor designed and physician managed weight loss program that enable patients to lose up to a pound a day, these prescription weight loss pills produce the required results as they contain ample amounts of this active ingredient. Designed after taking into account each patients health history, age, gender, lifestyle and preferences, this weight loss program is renowned for the quick and fast weight loss that it triggers in patients. 97% of patient who participate in the program not only shed those excess pounds but also keep it off long term. hCGTreatments / Diet Doc hCG Diet and Weight Loss Plans has also created an extensive product line comprising weight loss products, shakes, and oils powerful that have proven to be extremely effective weight loss tools for the public.

Julie Wright hCGTreatments / Diet Doc 888-934-4451 Email Information

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Raspberry Ketone Prescription Diet Pills Now Offered by Diet Doc Weight Loss - The First Prescription Diet Pill of It ...

Diet Doc's modified hCG diet weight loss plan works to burn unwanted fat and has dieters losing up to 15 pounds in less than one month.

Sioux Falls, SD (PRWEB) October 09, 2012

Diet Doc's modified hCG diet weight loss plan works to burn unwanted fat and has dieters losing up to 15 pounds in less than one month.

Diet Doc has created a weight loss plan that has dieters dropping unwanted pounds in less than one month with a modified version of the time-tested hCG diet. Originally created in the 1950s, the diet has proven throughout the years to be effective in fast weight loss. However, since the diet has been in the spotlight in recent years, it has been slammed by critics as having a dangerously low caloric intake. Diet Doc has modified the original version of the hCG diet plan to allow more calories as well as include essential vitamins and supplements. Founder and CEO of Diet Doc Julie Wright says weve taken the healthy advantages of the original hCG protocol and made it easier by using a personalized ketogenic diet plan that allows for a healthy amount of calories a day. All dieters on our program are also monitored throughout the program to ensure its effectiveness as well as safety.

Diet Docs 23-day hCG weight loss plan offers a customized diet plan complete with medical hCG treatments. The hCG comes in three forms: injections, drops or pills, all of which are pharmaceutical-grade and require a prescription from their on-site physician. The hCG injections are found to be most popular because they produce the fastest weight loss results. Other dieters prefer the hCG drops or pills which also come in a high dose but arent as easily absorbed into the body as injections, which go directly into the bloodstream. Whatever method any Diet Doc hCG dieter takes, these treatments will play a vital role in the weight loss program because they help mobilize stored fats that are then used for energy, creating fast weight loss results. Dieters also claim that the treatments suppress the appetite even enhance their mood according to Wright.

Diet Doc uses a ketogenic diet plan with the hCG weight loss program that consists of a healthy balance of lean proteins, health fats, green leafy vegetables, fibrous fruits as well as essential vitamins and supplements. The 23-day weight loss program aims to transform not only the body but also eating habits in a short amount of time. Dieters report seeing dramatic weight loss in the first week of the diet which can also be party attributed to the restriction of starchy simple carbohydrates found in pastas and breads. Wright says our dieters make life-long dietary changes after we require them to cut out these unnecessary food groups and replace them with the essential ones. They really see a big difference in how they look and feel and dont want to go back to their old eating habits.

Diet Doc has recently started offering the hCG weight loss program as a telehealth weight loss program, making it available to anyone across the country via the internet or over the phone. In person consultations are no longer required and are even found to save most people time and money. Diet Docs Medical Director Dr. Rao says since weve started doing consultations over the phone or Skype, our dieters seem to be more inclined to stick to the diet plan because they hold more accountability than if they were to come into the clinic weekly. The telehealth program has the same format as the clinic program with weekly progress follow-up calls as well as full access to the Diet Doc medical staff.

Julie Wright hCGTreatments / Diet Doc 888-934-4451 Email Information

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Diet Doc Announces a 23-Day Weight Loss Program that Helps Dieters Lose Weight Fast with Modified hCG Diet Plan