Successful weight loss maintenance.
Level 5 - mechanism / opinion, no new human data
narrative review summarizing literature and registry observations without systematic search criteria
PubMed 11375440 · doi:10.1146/annurev.nutr.21.1.323
What was done
The authors reviewed literature to propose a standard definition for successful long-term weight loss maintenance (intentional loss of at least 10% initial body weight sustained for at least 1 year) and summarized behavioral characteristics of successful maintainers from the National Weight Control Registry.
What was found
Under the proposed definition, the authors estimate that >20% of overweight or obese persons achieve success. Registry participants maintained an average weight loss of 30 kg for an average of 5.5 years. Shared behaviors included eating a low-fat diet, frequent self-monitoring of weight and food intake, and regular physical activity. Success rates were reported to increase substantially after 2-5 years of sustained maintenance.
Why it matters
The paper frames an achievable, health-relevant definition for weight loss maintenance and identifies consistent behavioral targets for long-term clinical management.
Limits
The abstract describes a narrative review rather than a systematic review. Registry data rely on self-selected, highly motivated individuals, which limits generalizability to typical clinical populations. No total sample size or quantitative confidence intervals are provided in the abstract.
Cited by
- supports Participants tracked in the National Weight Control Registry have maintained their weight loss for an average of approximately 5.6 to 6 years.