Dieters That Use Online Weight Loss Programs Keep Pounds Off, Study Says
As we can tell you, spending all day plopped in front of your computer can have pretty devastating effects on your physicality. According to a new study, though, logging onto the Web, under certain circumstances, can actually help people drop a few extra pounds. Researchers at Kaiser Permanente recently found that, when overweight patients used an online weight-loss support group, they increased their chances of staying active and controlling their weight. In the federally funded study (.PDF), Kaiser's team examined a sample of 348 overweight or obese individuals who'd recently lost an average of 19 pounds after going through a formal weight loss program. Each individual's goal, then, was to maintain his or her post-diet weight. In order to help them along, the researchers gave them access to a specially designed website, where subjects could record their food intake, weight levels and daily amounts of exercise. Patients were also able to pose questions to nutritionists and fitness experts, and could engage with fellow program participants along the way.
After two and a half years, researchers discovered that patients who'd logged in at least once a month for 24 months ended up keeping off, on average, nine of the 19 pounds they'd initially lost. Participants who weren't as regular, on the other hand, managed to keep off only three to five pounds on average. Still, researchers were pleased to find that most of the 348 people were still participating, to varying degrees, at study's end.
As NPR reports, the website used in the research may no longer be available. But Kaiser's experts say there are many similar Web programs online, and that people interested in joining should choose a program based on a very simple set of criteria. A good regimen, they claim, should require users to keep a constant record of their daily diets and exercise routines, and should have some level of personalization. It's also helpful, they argue, if an online program allows for users to interact with one another, and with medical experts. And, of course, any legit program should always have accurate health information. In the long run, this study probably says a lot more about the programs than those actually participating in them, but at least they've given people a good set of program criteria. All you have to do now is stick to it. [From: NPR]
