Study: Weight Loss Groups More Beneficial Than Going Solo

The United States is facing an obesity epidemic. Approximately one-third of the country is diagnosed as overweight or obese and this is causing tremendous health risks and proving to be a drain on the nation's healthcare system. Although there are a lot of promotions to physical activity, nutritious meals and even government programs, fat remains ubiquitous in the developed world.

In order to save some dough, a lot of those who are overweight may go it alone by performing their own research, taking part in diets such as the Mediterranean, Vegetarian and Raw Food, and going to the gym. This may seem prudent and logical, but a new study has found that going solo in the pursuit of weight loss may not be as beneficial as participating in groups.

The Baylor College of Medicine researchers published the results of a new study in the American Journal of Medicine and discovered the advantages of participating in community-based weight loss initiatives. It found that those who were involved in a program like Weight Watchers lost more weight than those who were alone.

According to the group's findings, overweight and obese adults lost more than 10 pounds during a six-month period by being in regular contact with others who had the same goal, while the company-sponsored study reported that the same individuals lost a little more than a pound when going solo in the same timeframe.

Scientists used 292 overweight and obese adults for six months and assigned 147 individuals to the Weight Watchers group, which offered three features: group meetings, online tools and mobile applications. Those who used Weight Watchers were eight times more likely to shed at least five percent of their weight, which, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is important because this figure is correlated with improved health factors.

Furthermore, those who used all three Weight Watchers features reportedly had the greatest results with 19 pounds.

"This study would suggest that those who piece together a program for themselves by using things such as internet-based information, cheap or free mobile apps, and social media support are unlikely to have the same success as those following the Weight Watchers approach," said Karen Miller-Kovach, MS, RD, Co-Chief Scientific Officer at Weight Watchers International, Inc. and a co-author of the study, in a statement. "We believe that multiple access routes to engage with a proven weight loss approach make a measurable difference."

Some questioned the results of the study, though. Duke University's Hayden Bosworth told Reuters that it would like to see the results compared with other common regimens. He explained that the findings may differ because there could be variations in the programs or in the individuals themselves. For instance, Weight Watchers's participants may be more motivated due to the fact that they're paying for a monthly subscription.

Nevertheless, the study's authors still agreed with the results because providing plenty of options and support is imperative to seeing the loss of weight. "We know what to do, but we need help with getting it done. That's one of the reasons that Weight Watchers works really well," said Craig Johnston, the lead study author.

At the present time, it costs approximately $43 per month to access Weight Watchers meetings, website and apps.

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