Many Americans Avoid Regaining Lost Weight

Many Americans manage not to regain the weight they lose, a new study has found. Researchers looked at data from a U.S. government health survey. They focused on 1,310 men and women who had weighed 10% less than their all-time high a year before the survey. A majority of these people had stayed within 5% of that low weight from the year before. People who exercised and spent less time watching TV were most likely to keep the weight off. Reuters Health news service reported on the study. It was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

What Is the Doctor's Reaction?

Helping patients to lose weight and keep it off is one of the most important things that all doctors can do. Everybody knows that keeping a healthy weight is the key to preventing heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure. It really makes a difference to everyday life, too. People at a healthy weight have fewer problems from arthritis, breathe more easily, and may feel better about their bodies.

So why is it so hard?

We live in a world that emphasizes sitting down and eating over more active choices. We spend a lot of time in our cars, at our computers, and in front of the TV. People are busy and may not make good choices about food or exercise. In some cases, people cannot afford or cannot travel to buy food that might be more nutritious and lower in calories and fat. Well over half of American adults are over their healthy body weights.

A new study offers some helpful advice about how people manage to keep the weight off. The bottom line is that it's not easy – but it can be done!

A team at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) looked at data from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (NHANES). Parts of this study have looked at Americans' health habits since the 1970s. In this part of the study, researchers focused on more than 1,000 adults who were overweight and who had already lost weight.

The great news from the study is that almost 6 in 10 people who lost weight were able to keep it off for a year. Almost 8% continued to lose. The people who managed to keep weight off continued to exercise. Some exercised an hour a day three times a week, but the benefits were the same in people who did more moderate exercise.

Unfortunately, about 1 in 3 of the people who responded to the study gained back a significant amount of weight. Those people were much less likely to exercise and much more likely to spend more than 4 hours of personal time daily in front of the TV or computer.

There are some limitations to a survey study like this one. First, we don't really know how people lost weight. Some may have done it through a program, others on their own, and still others without being aware at all. This study does not yet help us know if different groups of people might have different challenges with respect to weight loss.

Still, this survey shows that people can lose weight and they can keep it off. This is a huge step toward better long-term health.

What Changes Can I Make Now?

Weight loss isn't magic. There is no perfect pill. Patients and doctors often wish there was an easy way to help people reach a healthy weight. In rare cases, there are medical reasons for weight gain and medical solutions. Mostly, there is only hard work on the part of the patient and lots of support on the part of the doctor.

This is a slow process. Be proud of small changes.

Here are some ideas that may help you:

Make better food choices. Choose fresh food over fast food.

Plan your meals.

Aim to eat more lean protein and fewer carbohydrates.

Choose lower-calorie drinks and drink less alcohol.

Try to lose weight with friends or family. Support helps.

Join a program if that works for you.

Increase your activity. It might be as simple as parking farther away from the mall or getting off the bus one stop sooner.

Turn off the TV whenever you can.

Don't eat in front of the TV.

If you've already lost weight, congratulations! Keep up the good work by making a healthy diet and increased exercise part of your daily life forever.

What Can I Expect Looking to the Future?

There is a lot of research about the causes and treatment of obesity. Survey research like this one and lab research will help us learn how best to lose weight and keep it off. Maybe one day your doctor will be able help you come up with a personal weight loss plan based on your body, your genetics and your personal needs.

I also think that people will work toward improved health by demanding more nutritious convenience foods from grocery stores and restaurants and better access to exercise at school, home and work.