Regular self-weighing to promote weight maintenance after intentional weight loss: a quasi-randomized controlled trial.

4 Large controlled trial

How much this weighs: one controlled trial in people, large enough to mean something.

Type of study: controlled trial
Studied in: people
Participants: 3,290
Published: 2015 in Journal of public health (Oxford, England)
Cited: 22 times by other research
Who paid: Publicly funded, as far as was declared.
Source: PubMed 23753256 · doi 10.1093/pubmed/fdt061

The plain-language write-up of this study is still being written. Below is the abstract exactly as the researchers published it.

Abstract by the researchers — original text

BACKGROUND: Many overweight people take action to lose weight but most regain this weight. PURPOSE: To examine the effectiveness of a weight maintenance intervention focused on regular self-weighing after receiving a 12-week weight loss programme. METHODS: Quasi-randomized controlled trial of 3768 obese or overweight men and women. The intervention group (n = 3290) received two telephone calls, the offer of free weighing scales, encouragement to weigh themselves weekly and record this on a card. The main outcome was change in weight between 3 and 12 months. RESULTS: Using intention to treat analysis both groups regained weight; however, the intervention group on average regained 1.23 kg, whereas the control group regained 1.83 kg. Adjusting for covariates resulted in a mean difference of 0.68 kg (95% CI 0.12, 1.24) at 12-month follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Encouraging people who have recently lost weight to weigh themselves regularly prevents some weight regain.