Weight Loss Wednesday: National Weight Control Registry

One of my goals for next year is to qualify for and join the National Weight Control Registry.

The National Weight Control is the largest study in the United States that is following people who are maintaining significant weight loss. The study has been on-going since 1994. It follows 10,000 people through annual surveys about their health status, weight status and diet and exercise habits in an attempt to learn what helps someone successfully maintain weight loss. People in the registry have lost an average of 66 pounds and maintained that weight loss for 5.5 years, which is encouraging when you hear so much about how rare success in weight loss is!

I don’t qualify yet. In order to participate, you have to be at least 18 years old (I meet that one!), have lost at least 30 pounds (check!) and maintained that weight loss for at least a year. I’ll meet that last criteria in July. I’m in interested in participating for a few reasons. Most importantly, I know from my own research into the issue that there is depressingly little data out there about maintaining weight loss. One of the first things I did when I hit my goal weight was to start looking for the research about how maintenance works. It turns out, there is tons of information about how to lose weight but really scant data about maintaining weight loss. Most of what is out there is really just “expert” opinion without any proof. What little information we have comes primarily from the National Weight Control Registry. If you go to their site, they link to the published scientific studies (I love seeing the actual science!) as well as a summary of the findings so far, including the fact that most of the participants eat breakfast, weigh themselves at least weekly and watch less than 10 hours of TV a week. That last one stings I bit, as I’m catching up on old episodes of Grimm as I type this.

I like the idea of being of contribute some of what has helped me, both by sharing my personal stories here on the blog, but also by contributing to the aggregate of scientific knowledge through a study like this. I will definitely be celebrating my next birthday by registering. That’s the other reason I’m interested in participating – it will definitely feel like a nice little badge of honor to celebrate a year of maintenance.

Long term goals like this definitely help keep me on track through things like last night’s neighborhood cookie exchange. What goals keep you on track through the holiday temptations?

 

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