HHS HealthBeat (July 25, 2007)

Getting it off, keeping it off

From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I’m Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat.

Getting help to lose weight can help people lose weight. But that doesn’t mean the weight will stay off.

Researchers who looked at data from 46 studies found people did better in programs than on their own. Among people in programs, the more often they went to meetings, and the fewer calories they ate, the better they did.

But that’s not the end. Michael Dansinger of Tufts-New England Medical Center:

 ``The bad news is that, over time, that weight loss is regained. And only half of the weight loss remains at three years, and almost none of the weight loss remains at five years.’’ (10 seconds)

Dansinger says weight losers have to keep working at it.

The study in Annals of Internal Medicine was supported by HHS’ Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Learn more at hhs.gov.

HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I’m Ira Dreyfuss.

Last revised: July, 25 2007