JAMA study says Weight Watchers doesn't work

[sarahmichigan]

Some people might think I'm cynical when I say commercial weight-loss diets don't work, and that WW and other weight-loss franchises are more interested in your money than your health. But apparently the facts are on my side.

http://smtd.fullbleed.net/archives/000222.html

excerpt:

Weight Watchers does not work. After decades of refusing to publish outcome data, a report has finally appeared (JAMA, April 9 2003 isssue, volume 289:1792-1798). 400 women were randomly assigned to Weight Watchers or to "self-help", which consisted of handing them a brochure. After two years of weekly meetings, weekly weigh-ins and one-on-one consultations the WW group had lost 2.9 kg (6 lbs). They had lost 4.5 kg at the end of the first year but were progressively regaining. Based on the $11 price of the weekly meeting alone, each pound of weight lost cost the experimenters $180.

Comments

[bernmarx.livejournal.com]

More damning excerpt: As a final note on the article, it does ackowledge that it was paid for by the WW Foundation, and that WW had a contractual right to review and edit the report. It is also noted in fine print that all the major authors were paid consultants to WW and that the senior author was the head of WW's Advisory Board.

In other words, this is the BEST WW could claim, with all their little consultants nudging all the bias they could muster (such as assuming that WW dropouts would keep the weight off).

Meanwhile, I've lost 25# over the last year or so through more sensible meal choices, and being focused more on the sort of stuff you've been talking about -- behavior modification, emotion assessment, etc. -- then on "dieting."

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

Good for you.

I think some people have the impression that I'm taking a nihilistic, hopeless attitude about weight loss and health, but I don't see it that way at all. I think the evidence supports that making MAJOR modifications to your body size generally involves such a huge committment that it's not worth it to the average person.

Example: My brother went from very overweight for his frame, and very unhealthy, to being at the low end of his ideal BMI range and being extremely cardio fit. He did it through adopting a vegan, wheat-free diet and becoming a marathon runner. Most people dont' have the time, energy, or willpower to maintain those sorts of huge lifestyle changes. He went to prison, couldn't get the same amount of exercise or the quality food, and gained back most of the weight while he was there and in the months afterward.

I think making small changes gradually is the only way most people can change their body shape/size in a significant way. I'm not opposed to losing weight in and of itself. I'm opposed to focusing on weight loss as a main goal rather than on assessing your eating habits and adding exercise. In fact, I've slooooowly lost about 10-12 pounds in the last 2 years or so.

I think the current recommendations to lose 1-2 pounds a week is way too much, and is way too likely to lead to adding pounds back on. A loss of one or two a month (which is what yours equals out to), seems more in line with my ideas about making slow, gradual changes.

I'm also not one of the fat acceptance camp who bristles at the idea that some fat people eat too much, have crappy diets, and don't exercise enough. Some thin people eat crap and don't get enough exercise and just aren't genetically predisposed to fat. Some fat people eat well and fulfill the requirements for regular, moderate exercise and remain fat. But the truth is that obesity is often (though not universally) a result of poor diet and lack of exercise. Some fat people are so defensive about their eating habits that they bristle at the thought of someone telling them they eat emotionally and compulsively; I understand that, because a thin person can eat Ho-hos all day long without judgement, but dear lord if a FAT person gets caught eating ice cream in public! However, I freely admit that at least part of my size is attributable to compulsive eating habits I picked up from my birth family, re-inforced by fad diets throughout my adolescence and early 20s.

sorry for the ramble. . . :)

[bernmarx.livejournal.com]

Rambling's fine, I agree with you. NTS lead me to think about serious dieting, I lost about 3 pounds in a week, then I GAINED about 10 pounds the next week, and decided, screw it, I was getting where I wanted through behavior modifications, and she knows how much I weigh anyway. :p So I'm back to where I started, but heading in the right direction and back to feeling good about myself.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

I'm happy for your relationshippy stuff, btw.

[bernmarx.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :)

[rikhei.livejournal.com]

Hey, I wanted to point out a friend's recent LJ entry. I haven't had time to really process it yet, but it seems like it might interest you.

[sarahmichigan.livejournal.com]

Thanks rikhei! Very interesting, indeed.