Three Simple Strategies May Help With Weight Loss

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Weight loss strategies associated with BMI in overweight adults with type 2 diabetes at entry into the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) trial, by Hollie A. Raynor and colleagues. Diabetes Care 31:1299-1304, 2008

What is the problem and what is known about it so far?

Weight loss is a key part of treatment for overweight people with type 2 diabetes. However, little is known about the weight-loss strategies that diabetic patients attempt and how effective they are.

Why did researchers do this particular study?

The researchers wanted to learn what types of weight-loss strategies overweight type 2 diabetic patients use and how well the strategies help them manage their weight.

Who was studied?

The study included a diverse group of more than 3,000 overweight women and more than 2,000 overweight men, aged between 45 and 74 years, who took part in a large study of overweight diabetic patients.

How was the study done?

Researchers collected and statistically analyzed self-reports from patients who were enrolling in the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) Trial to find out how often they weighed themselves, what their usual daily eating patterns were, and what weight-loss methods they had tried in order to see whether any of these factors were linked to lower body mass index (BMI) scores, a measure of overweight.

What did the researchers find?

Subjects who weighed themselves less frequently than once a week, ate breakfast less frequently, and ate fast food meals more often had higher BMI scores than those who weighed weekly, ate daily breakfast, and ate fewer fast-food meals. The three most common weight-control practices were to increase fruit and vegetable intake, to cut out sweets and junk food, and to eat fewer high-carbohydrate foods. Other popular practices included increasing exercise, decreasing fat intake, and reducing daily calories eaten. However, these practices were not linked to lower BMI scores.

What were the limitations of the study?

The diverse makeup of the study participants and small numbers of some subgroups left researchers unable to fully analyze for differences in results between men and women or among different racial and ethnic groups. Because the information collected was from subjects' self-reports, the information provided may not have been completely accurate. Study participants all had high BMI scores; therefore, results may not apply to people with lower BMIs. Finally, the design of the study allowed researchers to find links between various factors and BMI scores, but they could not draw conclusions about exactly how those factors influences BMI or vice versa.

What are the implications of the study?

Self-weighing weekly, eating daily breakfasts, and reducing fast food intake may help overweight people with type 2 diabetes manage their weight more easily and effectively than trying to follow more specific and complicated strategies, such as reducing overall calories, carbohydrates, or fats in their diet.

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Healthy weight loss

Diabetes, overweight, and metabolic health

Weight loss strategies