CoChat
Sign Up
Cited by 175Obesity, Physical Activity, DietObesity and Health PracticesPharmacology and Obesity Treatment

Predictors of Attrition in a Large Clinic‐Based Weight‐Loss Program

Open access
Honas, Jeffery J., Early, James L., Frederickson, Doren D., O'Brien, Megan S.·2003·Obesity Research
DOI 10.1038/oby.2003.122
Open this paper in CoChat — free accountOpen PDF

Abstract

Objective: Identifying client factors that predict dropout is critical for the development of effective weight‐loss programs. Although demographic predictors are studied, there are few consistent findings. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of dropout in a large clinic‐based weight‐loss program using readily attainable demographic variables. Research Methods and Procedures: All 866 weight‐loss patients in a clinic‐based weight‐loss program enrolled during 1998 to 1999 were followed. Attrition and retention rates were measured at 8 and 16 weeks. Six variables (sex, race, marital status, age, BMI, and treatment protocol) were evaluated using bivariate and multivariable statistics for relative association with dropout. Results: The overall attrition rate for the 16‐week program was 31%. The retention rate was 69%. Significant risk for dropout, measured as bivariate relative risk (95% confidence interval), was found among patients who were: females, 1.32 (1.01 to 1.73); divorced, 1.54 (1.13 to 2.09); African Americans, 1.68 (1.26 to 2.23); age < 40, 1.66 (1.27 to 2.18); and ages 40 to 50, 1.33 (1.01 to 1.76). There were no significant differences in retention rates by BMI group or program protocol. After logistic regression analysis to control for all variables, young age < 50 years had the only significant association with dropout [odds ratio = 1.39 (1.02 to 1.90)]. Discussion: Multivariable modeling was helpful for prioritizing risk factors for program dropout. These findings have important implications for improving weight‐loss program effectiveness and reducing attrition. By knowing the groups at risk for dropout, we can improve or target program treatments to these populations.

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1038/oby.2003.122

Cites

22 of 22 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Claims the paper makes

The claims and statistics of this paper haven’t been checked yet.

Run the check — free, no account needed. It reads the open-access text and checks the sources it cites.

A few free checks a day · papers already verified open instantly · results are public

Claims other papers make about this one

Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?

  • Other health implications of attrition include reduced quality of life, increased loss of income due to work absenteeism, and increased risk of obesity-associated disease.

    “Other health implications include a reduced quality of life (physical, mental, and social wellbeing), increased loss of income due to work absenteeism [128-130], and an increased risk of obesityassociated disease [127,131].”

    From Providing lifestyle advice to women with PCOS: an overview of practical issues affecting success (2021) · cites this paper as [131]

Self-check

Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.

The self-check needs the paper’s full text.

Cites

Flagged first, then by citations

Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Ho KSI, Nichaman MZ, Taylor WC, Lee ES, Foreyt JP. Binge eating disorder, retention, and dropout in an adult obesity program. Int J Eating Disord. 1995;18:291-4.
  2. Yass-Reed EM, Barry NJ, Dacey CM. Examination of pre- treatment predictors of attrition in VLCD and behavior ther- apy weight-loss program. Addictive Behav. 1993;18:431-5.

Cited by

Sorted by citations

Related

Authors
Honas, J. J., Early, J. L., Frederickson, D. D., & O'Brien, M. S.
Affiliations
University of Kansas (US)
Corresponding author
Early, James L.
Venue
Obesity Research
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2003-07
Volume
11
Issue
7
Pages
888-894
ISSN
  • 1071-7323 (ISSN-L)
  • 1550-8528
DOI
10.1038/oby.2003.122
OpenAlex
W2088690882
Cited by
175
References
22
Citations by year
2025: 1 · 2024: 9 · 2023: 3 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 4 · 2019: 8 · 2018: 8 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 10 · 2014: 14 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 17
FWCI
3.39
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 3355 d)
Locations
  • Obesity Research (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
  • Health Sciences › Health Professions › Pharmacy › Obesity and Health Practices
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Pharmacology › Pharmacology and Obesity Treatment
Keywords
attrition, retention, predictors of dropout, demographic risk factors, age, sex differences, marital status, race, African Americans, obesity treatment
MeSH terms
Adult, Energy Intake, Clinical Protocols, Diet, Reducing, Female, Humans, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, Patient Dropouts, Weight Loss, Body Mass Index, Logistic Models, Marital Status

About these checks

Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.

Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.

Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.

What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›

Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review