(PCM) Trying to lose weight? Don’t do it alone!
Having someone to share your weight loss journey with – whether it be a spouse, friend, family member, or even someone you meet at a group-based weight-loss program – can make all the difference in your long-term success, and there’s new research to prove it.
The study published in the journal Obesity randomly assigned 141 overweight or obese men and women to one of three groups: one group received 48 weeks of behavioral weight-loss treatment from a health professional, another with 48 weeks in Weight Watchers, where the meetings are led by members who have achieved and maintained a healthy goal weight, and another with combined treatment of 12 weeks of behavioral weight-loss treatment from a health professional, and then 36 weeks of Weight Watchers participation.
Researchers believed that the combination approach would produce a bigger weight loss than going to Weight Watchers alone, however, they were surprised to find that those people lost the least amount of weight. At 48 weeks, those in the professionally led group lost 11.9 pounds, but those only in Weight Watchers lost 13.2 pounds. The combination group lost the least, with an average of 7.9 pounds.
“Group-based weight-loss treatment produced weight loss, whether delivered by a professional or peer counselor,” said study author Angela Marinilli Pinto. “When people are in a group with others on the same journey, they feel there is that element of, ‘OK, this worked for him or her, perhaps it will work for me. Perhaps I can give it a try.’”
The study was not funded or sponsored by Weight Watchers.
So if you’re thinking about starting a weight loss program, start recruiting!
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Friendships: Your Health and Happiness Depend on it!
