TOPLINE:

Early weight loss ≥ 2% or ≥ 3% by 4 weeks in structured weight-loss programs is significantly associated with achieving ≥ 5% or ≥ 10% total weight loss, respectively, by 16 weeks in adults with class I obesity.

METHODOLOGY:

• Researchers evaluated whether early weight-loss thresholds (1%, 2%, and 3%) at 2 and 4 weeks were predictive of clinically significant weight loss (≥ 5% or ≥ 10%) at 16 weeks in two commercial weight-loss programs.
• Additional analyses determined the influence of demographic, anthropometric, behavioral, and lifestyle factors on weight-loss outcomes.
• The study included 124 adults with class I obesity (mean age, 45.7 years; 79.8% women; mean BMI, 34.4) randomly assigned to either the Medifast (n = 64) or OPTAVIA (n = 60) weight-loss programs, both of which included meal replacements and behavioral support.
• The Medifast group followed an 1100-1300 kcal diet with four meal replacements, two lean and green meals, and one healthy snack per day. The OPTAVIA group followed an 800-1000 kcal diet with five meal replacements and one lean and green meal per day. Both programs were followed for 16 weeks.

TAKEAWAY:

• Participants who lost ≥ 2% of their body weight by week 4 had 24.6-fold higher odds of achieving ≥ 5% weight loss at week 16 than those who lost < 2%.
• Those who lost ≥ 3% by week 4 were 19.4 times more likely to achieve ≥ 10% weight loss than those who lost < 3%.
• Significant predictors of ≥ 5% weight loss included older age, higher level of education, greater adherence through week 4, and more frequent nutrition support contacts through week 4.
• Participants in the OPTAVIA group had 5.41-fold higher odds of achieving ≥ 10% weight loss than those in the Medifast group.
• Age and adherence to either weight-loss program remained significant predictors of ≥ 10% weight loss.

IN PRACTICE:

“These results highlight the benefits of more intensive lifestyle intervention and further support the view that low weight loss early in an intervention programme may help identify individuals who can be targeted for additional counselling and support,” the authors wrote.

SOURCE:

This study was led by Christopher D. Coleman, Medifast Inc., Baltimore. It was published online in Clinical Obesity.

LIMITATIONS:

This study was a secondary analysis limited to data collected during the original trial. Behavioral factors such as motivation and self-regulation were not assessed. The 16-week intervention period lacked follow-up data on weight maintenance.

DISCLOSURES:

The authors disclosed being employees of, receiving research grants and consulting fees from, or having other ties with various pharmaceutical and nutrition companies.

This article was created using several editorial tools, including AI, as part of the process. Human editors reviewed this content before publication.