Weight Loss Plans
January 3, 2005
By Dr Mona
Been around for 30 to 40 years but there isn't enough published data about how effective they are and of the few that have been studied -- there's never been a comparison of the results until now.
"My goals for 2005 are to continue as I have been and to lose another 10-pounds," said Jean Spriggs, a constant dieter.
Sound familiar ?
This is one of the busiest times of year for popular
weight loss programs, as millions of Americans make
good on their annual resolution to lose
weight. Losing pounds adds up to big bucks for weight
loss programs throughout the country, but do they really
work?
"There was the Jenny Craig, there was the Weight Watchers, there was the cabbage soup,” said Jean. “All of them just kept me in a state of confusion."
A study just released in Annals of Internal Medicine examined published data on popular weight loss programs.
“How much weight does the typical individual lose in the program and how long does it take them to lose it?” said Thomas Wadden, Ph.D, study investigator. “And then in the best of possible worlds how much weight can I expect to keep off one or two years from now?”
The review looked at published research about popular commercially based programs, like Weight Watchers, Jenny Craig and LA Weight Loss. Of those, only Weight Watchers was the only one with a strong study that demonstrated its effectiveness.
The study showed 150 participants lost 5-point-3 percent of their body weight after one year and maintained a loss of 3-point-2 percent at 2 years.
"Unfortunately, weight loss programs are very often selling primarily hopes and dreams and not providing enough information about the specific components of that program,” said Dr. Wadden. “So consumers have a hard time differentiating between brand A and brand B."
So what should you do? Before shelling out your hard-earned money for a plan that might not make the grade, visit several programs. Ask them for a tip sheet on the safety of the program, the main components, staff qualifications and the cost. Ask to speak to someone who has gone through the program. And since most of these programs don't provide medical assistance, make sure you talk to your doctor about it. Especially if you have medical conditions like diabetes or low blood pressure.
Source:http://cbs11tv.com
|
