The DOI matches its Crossref record; 65 of the 69 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Long-term weight-loss maintenance: a meta-analysis of US studies
Open accessAbstract
Background Current perception is that participants of a structured weight-loss program regain all of their weight loss within 5 y.Objective The objective was to examine the long-term weight-loss maintenance of individuals completing a structured weight-loss program.Design Studies were required to 1) have been conducted in the United States, 2) have included participants in a structured weight-loss program, 3) have provided follow-up data with variance estimates for > or =2 y. Primary outcome variables were weight-loss maintenance in kilograms, weight-loss maintenance as a percentage of initial weight loss, and weight loss as a percentage of initial body weight (reduced weight).Results Twenty-nine studies met the inclusion criteria. Successful very-low-energy diets (VLEDs) were associated with significantly greater weight-loss maintenance than were successful hypoenergetic balanced diets (HBDs) at all years of follow-up. The percentage of individuals at 4 or 5 y of follow-up for VLEDs and HBDs were 55.4% and 79.7%, respectively. The results for VLEDs and HBDs, respectively, were as follows: weight-loss maintenance, 7.1 kg (95% CI: 6.1, 8.1 kg) and 2.0 (1.5, 2.5) kg; percentage weight-loss maintenance, 29% (25%, 33%) and 17% (13%, 22%); and reduced weight, 6.6% (5.7%, 7.5%) and 2.1% (1.6%, 2.7%). Weight-loss maintenance did not differ significantly between women and men. Six studies reported that groups who exercised more had significantly greater weight-loss maintenance than did those who exercised less.Conclusions Five years after completing structured weight-loss programs, the average individual maintained a weight loss of >3 kg and a reduced weight of >3% of initial body weight. After VLEDs or weight loss of > or =20 kg, individuals maintained significantly more weight loss than after HBDs or weight losses of <10 kg.
Overview
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.
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
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.
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?
The cited source doesn’t support the claim as written.
In the citing paper
“Use of very-low-calorie diets does not improve weight-loss maintenance; 8 however, there is some disagreement on this issue.73,74”
From Diet in the management of weight loss (2006) · cites this paper as [74]
Checked by a reasoning model — may be wrong.
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“In a meta-analysis of 29 long-term weight loss studies, more than half of the lost weight was regained within two years, and by five years more than 80% of lost weight was regained (Figure 1)4.”
From Maintenance of Lost Weight and Long-Term Management of Obesity (2018) · cites this paper as [4]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“Overall, very-low-calorie diets present a number of medical risks but offer rapid weight loss.”
From Diet in the management of weight loss (2006) · cites this paper as [74]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“≥ 1 yr: VLCD + LCD about 30% of body weight (7-20 kg) 8,72,73,74”
From Diet in the management of weight loss (2006) · cites this paper as [74]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
In the citing paper
“4 mo: about 30%-40% of body weight (13-32 kg) 8,72,73,74”
From Diet in the management of weight loss (2006) · cites this paper as [74]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measured
The cited source says what the claim attributes to it.
In the citing paper
“This is exemplified by a recent meta-analysis showing that ~56% of body weight loss, as achieved through lifestyle intervention, is regained within two years, and ~79% is regained after five years9.”
From Transforming obesity: The advancement of multi-receptor drugs (2024) · cites this paper as [9]
In the citing paper
“Data from earlier long-term analyses indicate that within two years of completing a weight loss program, over 50% of individuals regain their lost weight, and within five years, this percentage exceeds 80% [11].”
From Dietary and Behavioral Strategies for Weight Loss and Weight Loss Maintenance: A Narrative Review (2025) · cites this paper as [11]
Self-check
Percentages, sums and reported differences re-computed from the paper’s own numbers.
The self-check needs the paper’s full text.
Citations
Cites
(1998) · PsycEXTRA Dataset · doi:10.1037/e565682010-001 · Cited by 9,453
The Handbook of Research Synthesis.
Howel, D., Cooper, H., & Hedges, L. V. (1995) · Biometrics · doi:10.2307/2533295 · Cited by 3,657
(1998) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/68.4.899 · Cited by 2,722
Meta-Analysis of the Effects of Soy Protein Intake on Serum Lipids
Anderson, J. W., Johnstone, B. M., & Cook-Newell, M. E. (1995) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm199508033330502 · Cited by 2,048
Self-citation(1998) · PubMed · Cited by 1,259
A descriptive study of individuals successful at long-term maintenance of substantial weight loss
Klem, M., Wing, R., McGuire, M., Seagle, H., & Hill, J. (1997) · The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/66.2.239 · Cited by 1,060
The Handbook of Research Synthesis
Ziegel, E. R., Cooper, H., & Hedges, L. V. (1995) · Technometrics · doi:10.2307/1269651 · Cited by 936
Effects of Lifestyle Activity vs Structured Aerobic Exercise in Obese Women: A Randomized Trial
Andersen, R. E., Wadden, T. A., Bartlett, S. J., Zemel, B., Verde, T. J., & Franckowiak, S. C. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.281.4.335 · Cited by 623
Some Statistical Methods for Combining Experimental Results
Laird, N. M., & Mosteller, F. C. (1990) · International Journal of Technology Assessment in Health Care · doi:10.1017/s0266462300008916 · Cited by 564
Jakicic, J. M., Winters, C., Lang, W., & Wing, R. R. (1999) · JAMA · doi:10.1001/jama.282.16.1554 · Cited by 536
Lifestyle Intervention in Overweight Individuals With a Family History of Diabetes
Wing, R. R., Venditti, E. M., Jakicic, J. M., Polley, B. A., & Lang, W. (1998) · Diabetes Care · doi:10.2337/diacare.21.3.350 · Cited by 439
(1989) · PubMed · Cited by 419
Kramer, F. M., Jeffery, R. W., Forster, J. L., & Snell, M. K. (1989) · PubMed · Cited by 378
Descriptive Epidemiology of Body Weight and Weight Change in U.S. Adults
Williamson, D. F. (1993) · Annals of Internal Medicine · doi:10.7326/0003-4819-119-7_part_2-199310011-00004 · Cited by 365
Exercise as an adjunct to weight loss and maintenance in moderately obese subjects.
Pavlou, K., Krey, S., & Steffee, W. (1989) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/49.5.1115 · Cited by 365
Abrams, K. K., Allen, L. R., & Gray, J. J. (1993) · International Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.1002/1098-108x(199307)14:1 · Cited by 323
Metabolic and weight-loss effects of a long-term dietary intervention in obese patients
Ditschuneit, H. H. M., Flechtner‐Mors, M., Johnson, T. D., & Adler, G. (1999) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/69.2.198 · Cited by 304
Heterogeneity in Meta-analysis of Data from Epidemiologic Studies: A Commentary
Colditz, G. A., Burdick, E., & Mosteller, F. (1995) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a117644 · Cited by 245
Weight-loss experience of black and white participants in NHLBI-sponsored clinical trials
Kumanyika, S., Obarzanek, E., Stevens, V., Hebert, P., & Whelton, P. (1991) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/53.6.1631s · Cited by 243
Behavior Modification in the Treatment of Obesity
Penick, S. B., Filion, R. D. L., Fox, S., & Stunkard, A. J. (1971) · Psychosomatic Medicine · doi:10.1097/00006842-197101000-00003 · Cited by 235
Björntorp, P. A. (1997) · The Lancet · doi:10.1016/s0140-6736(97)04503-0 · Cited by 234
Bouchard, C., Deprés, J.-P., & Tremblay, A. (1993) · Obesity Research · doi:10.1002/j.1550-8528.1993.tb00603.x · Cited by 230
Understanding research synthesis (meta-analysis).
Mosteller, F., & Colditz, G. A. (1996) · Annual Review of Public Health · doi:10.1146/annurev.pu.17.050196.000245 · Cited by 228
SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION AND LITERATURE RETRIEVAL
White, H. D. (2019) · Russell Sage Foundation eBooks · doi:10.7758/9781610448864.7 · Cited by 221
Behavior modification in the treatment of obesity. The problem of maintaining weight loss.
Stunkard, A., & Penick, S. (1979) · Archives of General Psychiatry · doi:10.1001/archpsyc.1979.01780070079009 · Cited by 214
Correlates of weight loss and its maintenance over two years of follow-up among middle-aged men
Jeffery, R. W., Bjornson-Benson, W. M., Rosenthal, B., Lindquist, R. A., Kurth, C. L., & Johnson, S. L. (1984) · Preventive Medicine · doi:10.1016/0091-7435(84)90048-3 · Cited by 212
Improving long-term weight loss: pushing the limits of treatment
Brownell, K. D., & Jeffery, R. W. (1987) · Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7894(87)80004-7 · Cited by 198
Invited commentary: benefits of heterogeneity in meta-analysis of data from epidemiologic studies
Berlin, J. A. (1995) · American Journal of Epidemiology · doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aje.a117645 · Cited by 191
Methods for Pooled Analyses of Epidemiologic Studies
Friedenreich, C. M. (1993) · Epidemiology · doi:10.1097/00001648-199307000-00004 · Cited by 181
The prevalence of weight loss maintenance among American adults
McGuire, M., Wing, R. R., & Hill, J. (1999) · International Journal of Obesity · doi:10.1038/sj.ijo.0801075 · Cited by 164
Randomized Trial of Diet and Gastroplasty Compared with Diet Alone in Morbid Obesity
Andersen, T., Backer, O., Stokholm, K. H., & QUAADE, F. (1984) · New England Journal of Medicine · doi:10.1056/nejm198402093100604 · Cited by 143
Wadden, T. A., Stunkard, A. J., & Liebschutz, J. M. (1988) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-006x.56.6.925 · Cited by 135
Wadden, T. A., Stunkard, A. J., & Liebschutz, J. M. (1988) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.56.6.925 · Cited by 126
Goal-setting and spouse involvement in the treatment of obesity
Dubbert, P. M., & Wilson, G. T. (1984) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(84)90003-2 · Cited by 119
Johnstone, B. M., Leino, E. V., Ager, C. R., Ferrer, H. P., & Fillmore, K. M. (1996) · Journal of Studies on Alcohol · doi:10.15288/jsa.1996.57.494 · Cited by 118
Wadden, T. A., & Frey, D. L. (1997) · International Journal of Eating Disorders · doi:10.1002/(sici)1098-108x(199709)22:2 · Cited by 113
Long-Term Weight Maintenance after an Intensive Weight-Loss Program
Anderson, J. W., Vichitbandra, S., Qian, W., & Kryscio, R. J. (1999) · Journal of the American College of Nutrition · doi:10.1080/07315724.1999.10718897 · Cited by 110
Self-citationThree-Year Follow-up of Participants in a Commercial Weight Loss Program
Grodstein, F. (1996) · Archives of Internal Medicine · doi:10.1001/archinte.156.12.1302 · Cited by 102
Do behavioral treatments of obesity last? A five-year follow-up investigation
Stalonas, P. M., Perri, M. G., & Kerzner, A. B. (1984) · Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1016/0306-4603(84)90054-6 · Cited by 93
Case histories and shorter communications
Ross, R. R., Meichenbaum, D. H., & Humphrey, C. (1971) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(71)90072-6 · Cited by 90
Rothacker, D. Q. (2000) · Nutrition · doi:10.1016/s0899-9007(99)00280-4 · Cited by 85
Benefits and risks of an intensive very-low-calorie diet program for severe obesity.
Anderson, J. W., Hamilton, C., & Brinkman-Kaplan, V. (1992) · PubMed · Cited by 82
Self-citationPhysical Activity as a Predictor of Weight Maintenance in Previously Obese Subjects
Ewbank, P. P., Darga, L. L., & Lucas, C. P. (1995) · Obesity Research · doi:10.1002/j.1550-8528.1995.tb00146.x · Cited by 81
Two-year follow-up of patients treated with a very-low-calorie diet and exercise training
Sikand, G., Kondo, A. T., Foreyt, J. P., Jones, P. H., & Gotto, A. M. (1988) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(21)06865-6 · Cited by 80
Jackson, S., Bagstaff, S. M., Lynn, S., Yeaman, S. J., Turnbull, D. M., & Walker, M. (2000) · Diabetes · doi:10.2337/diabetes.49.7.1169 · Cited by 67
Towards Prevention of Obesity: Research Directions
National Task Force on Prevention and Treatment of Obesity (1994) · Obesity Research · doi:10.1002/j.1550-8528.1994.tb00108.x · Cited by 56
Long-term weight loss maintenance: assessment of a behavioral and supplemented fasting regimen.
Hovell, M. F., Koch, A., Hofstetter, C. R., Sipan, C. L., Faucher, P., Dellinger, A., Borok, G., Forsythe, A., & Felitti, V. J. (1988) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.78.6.663 · Cited by 55
Evaluation of long-term weight changes after a multidisciplinary weight control program
Fitzwater, S. L., Weinsier, R. L., Wooldridge, N. H., Birch, R., Liu, C., & Bartolucci, A. A. (1991) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(21)01139-1 · Cited by 54
Key modifiable factors in weight maintenance: Fat intake, exercise, and weight cycling
Haus, G., Hoerr, S. L., Mavis, B., & Robison, J. (1994) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/0002-8223(94)90096-5 · Cited by 52
Hensrud, D. D., Weinsier, R. L., Darnell, B. E., & Hunter, G. (1994) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/60.5.688 · Cited by 52
Holden, J. H., Darga, L. L., Olson, S. M., Stettner, D. C., Ardito, E., & Lucas, C. P. (1992) · PubMed · Cited by 51
Five-year follow-up to a behavioral weight-loss program.
Graham, L. E., Taylor, C. B., Hovell, M. F., & Siegel, W. (1983) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037//0022-006x.51.2.322 · Cited by 51
Lavery, M. A., & Loewy, J. W. (1993) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/0002-8223(93)92041-u · Cited by 42
Behavioral treatment of obesity: a two-year follow-up
Hall, S. M. (1973) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(73)90122-8 · Cited by 39
A 54-month evaluation of a popular very low calorie diet program.
Walsh, M. F., & Flynn, T. J. (1995) · PubMed · Cited by 37
Murphy, J. K., Bruce, B., & Williamson, D. (1985) · Behavior Therapy · doi:10.1016/s0005-7894(85)80030-7 · Cited by 36
Five-year follow-up to a behavioral weight-loss program.
Graham, L. E., Taylor, C. B., Hovell, M., et al. (1983) · Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology · doi:10.1037/0022-006x.51.2.322 · Cited by 36
Anderson, J. W., Hamilton, C., Crown-Weber, E., Riddlemoser, M., & Gustafson, N. (1991) · Journal of the American Dietetic Association · doi:10.1016/s0002-8223(21)01438-3 · Cited by 34
Self-citationAnderson, J., Brinkman-Kaplan, V., & Hamilton, C. (1992) · American Journal of Clinical Nutrition · doi:10.1093/ajcn/56.1.244s · Cited by 28
Self-citationNatural history of obesity in 6,946 women between 50 and 59 years of age.
Hartz, A. J., & Rimm, A. A. (1980) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.70.4.385 · Cited by 27
Thirty-month evaluation of a popular very-low-calorie diet program
Flynn, T. J. (1993) · Archives of Family Medicine · doi:10.1001/archfami.2.10.1042 · Cited by 23
Nunn, R. G., Newton, K., & Faucher, P. (1992) · Addictive Behaviors · doi:10.1016/0306-4603(92)90067-6 · Cited by 19
Behavioral treatment of adult obesity: Attentional controls and a 2-year follow-up
Kirschenbaum, D. S., Stalonas, P. M., Zastowny, T. R., & Tomarken, A. J. (1985) · Behaviour Research and Therapy · doi:10.1016/0005-7967(85)90065-8 · Cited by 15
Conducting Meta-Analysis Using the Proc Means Procedure in Sas
Huffcuyt, A. I., Arthur, W., & Bennett, W. R. (1993) · Educational and Psychological Measurement · doi:10.1177/0013164493053001013 · Cited by 13
Jordan, H. A., Canavan, A. J., & Steer, R. A. (1985) · Psychological Reports · doi:10.2466/pr0.1985.57.1.195 · Cited by 13
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Exercise as medicine - evidence for prescribing exercise as therapy in 26 different chronic diseases
Pedersen, B. K., & Saltin, B. (2015) · Scandinavian Journal of Medicine & Science in Sports · doi:10.1111/sms.12581 · Cited by 3,514
European Guidelines for Obesity Management in Adults
Yumuk, V., Tsigos, C., Fried, M., Schindler, K., Busetto, L., Micic, D., & Toplak, H. (2015) · Obesity Facts · doi:10.1159/000442721 · Cited by 3,432
Association analyses of 249,796 individuals reveal 18 new loci associated with body mass index
MAGIC, Speliotes, E. K., on behalf of Procardis Consortium, Willer, C. J., Berndt, S. I., Monda, K. L., Thorleifsson, G., Jackson, A. U., Allen, H. L., Lindgren, C. M., et al. (2010) · Nature Genetics · doi:10.1038/ng.686 · Cited by 2,912
Fuller, N. R., Colagiuri, S., SCHOFIELD, D. J., Olson, A. D., Shrestha, R. N., Holzapfel, C., Wolfenstetter, S. B., Holle, R., Ahern, A. L., Hauner, H., et al. (2012) · International Journal of Obesity · doi:10.1038/ijo.2012.139 · Cited by 2,127
Obesity Stigma: Important Considerations for Public Health
Puhl, R. M., & Heuer, C. A. (2010) · American Journal of Public Health · doi:10.2105/ajph.2009.159491 · Cited by 1,949
Metadata
- Authors
- Anderson, J. W., Konz, E. C., Frederich, R. C., & Wood, C. L.
- Affiliations
- University of Kentucky (US)
- Venue
- The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2001-11
- Volume
- 74
- Issue
- 5
- Pages
- 579-584
- ISSN
- 0002-9165 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2097309757
- Semantic Scholar
- 93e83f33e0a0e57bebd19c0201f6f49724341278
- Cited by
- 1,351
- References
- 69
- Citations by year
- 2026: 30 · 2025: 61 · 2024: 78 · 2023: 66 · 2022: 76 · 2021: 94 · 2020: 50 · 2019: 62 · 2018: 52 · 2017: 62 · 2016: 67 · 2015: 65 · 2014: 73 · 2013: 77 · 2012: 42
- FWCI
- 4.29
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Licence
- Locations
- American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Obesity, Physical Activity, Diet
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Surgery › Bariatric Surgery and Outcomes
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology (medical) › Diet and metabolism studies
- Keywords
- weight loss maintenance, very low calorie diet, weight regain, long-term follow-up, physical activity, sex differences, obesity
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Body Weight, Energy Intake, Diet, Reducing, Female, Follow-Up Studies, Humans, Longitudinal Studies, Male, Middle Aged, Obesity, United States, Weight Loss, Exercise, MEDLINE, Treatment Outcome
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
