Abstracts / Posters
Weight-loss maintenance is predicted by higher BMI and greater initial loss in the Counterweight Programme
Obesity Reviews 12 (Suppl 1) (2011) 221
The Counterweight Project Team
Background: Weight-maintenance is a greater problem than weight loss. Conventional teaching favours slow-loss/modest-changes.
Methods: Predictors of weight-loss maintenance were examined in 642 and 357 adult patients with complete data at 12m and 24m respectively, mean age 49, BMI 37kg/m2, who participated in Counterweight, a multifaceted weight-management algorithm based mainly on 600kcal dietary deficit and goal-setting, delivered in 65 UK-wide Primary-Care practice.
Results: Of those in initial 3-6m weight-loss categories of 5-10kg (n=101, mean 6.9kg (SD1.5)) and ≥ 10kg (n=55, mean 13.2kg (SD 4.2) respectively, 48% vs 67%, χ2=5.6, P=0.018) remained in the same category at 12m, with 39% and 34% of these categories dropping out before 12m.
At 24m, initial weight-loss category was maintained by 40% of completers for both 5-10 and ≥ 10kg-losers, with 18% and 40% respectively maintaining >10kg loss, and 65% and 64% dropping out before 24m. Maintaining ≥ 10kg loss was also more likely with higher baseline BMI (P=0.027).
No correlation was found between initial loss and weight regain at 12 or 24m, but initial loss ≥ 10 kg predicted lower likelihood of re-gaining to <5kg below baseline at both 12m (36.6% vs. 5.5%, χ2=18.2, P<0.0001) and 24m (43.6% vs. 21.9%, χ2=4.1=2, P<0.041). Weight loss at 6m was better than at 3m to predict maintained-weight at 12m (P=0.035) but not at 24m (P=0.233).
Conclusions: Greater initial weight-loss predicts greater maintenance at both 12 and 24m, and does not increase drop-out rate or regain from minimum weight achieved.
Conflict of interest: None disclosed
Funding: No funding