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If they gained five pounds or more, they were in the "red zone" and encouraged to restart active weight-loss efforts. They were urged to pull out a red toolbox they received at the start of the program that included items such as a meal replacement shake, a pedometer, a diet diary and their own weight success loss story. Participants who were in the "red zone" also had the chance to get one-on-one counseling by phone, email or in person. Both groups attended weekly meetings for the first month of the study period, then monthly meetings either in groups or via a computer chat room. Internet participants received a laptop computer, an Internet connection and technical support.

Results were resounding: In the control group, 72 percent of participants gained five or more pounds during the year and a half study period. But only 55 percent of Internet participants and 46 percent of participants in the face-to-face group gained back that much weight.

"The Internet intervention worked, but the face-to-face format produced the best outcomes," Wing said. "Both were successful because the message that people got pay attention to your weight, then take action to maintain it was effective. People were told to take personal control of their health and were given the tools to do it. And they kept off the weight."

The authors note that daily weighing was strongly associated with prevention of weight gain, but only in the Internet and face-to-face groups. Intervention participants who weighed themselves daily had an 82 percent reduction in the odds of regaining five or more pounds compared to those who did not weigh daily. However, daily weighing in the control group had little effect on the amount of weight regained.

"This suggests that participants in the intervention groups were able to use the information from the scale to make constructive changes in their eating and exercise behaviors," s
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Contact: Megan Martin
mmartin@lifespan.org
401-793-7484
Lifespan
11-Oct-2006