10 proven strategies to help patients maintain weight loss
Patients’ chances of keeping off weight long-term improve with evidence-based interventions, such as a sound diet, more exercise, and attention to more thoughtful eating habits.
PRACTICE RECOMMENDATIONS
› Encourage patients to lose more weight early in their effort, which is predictive of successful long-term maintenance. B
› Support patients’ efforts to maintain weight loss by encouraging them to consume fewer calories and eat more nonglycemic fruits and vegetables A, eat at home and avoid processed foods B, work with you in addressing mental health concerns B, and increase time spent exercising A.
› Consider the potential value of prescribing a US Food and Drug Administration–indicated medication for weight maintenance. B
Strength of recommendation (SOR)
A Good-quality patient-oriented evidence
B Inconsistent or limited-quality patient-oriented evidence
C Consensus, usual practice, opinion, disease-oriented evidence, case series
Recognizing true physiologic hunger distinct from emotional hunger can improve with mindfulness training. This practice might provide a better way to help the so-called yo-yo dieter and binge eater to reach metabolic health. Interestingly, successful weight maintainers who allow themselves less restriction on weekends maintain weight better than those who try to restrict diet every day, according to a recent study.29
Recommend a support group. Accountability is important: Group therapy in obesity treatment may be more effective than individual treatment.30
The support of a group and the regular attendance at group meetings are connected to further significant weight loss in the weight-loss period and, later, during maintenance. Monthly meetings seem to help patients with weight maintenance but more research is needed to determine what interval of support-group meeting attendance is most effective.
CORRESPONDENCE
Marijane Hynes, MD, The George Washington University Medical Faculty Associates, Fifth Floor/Internal Medicine, 2150 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20037; mhynes@mfa.gwu.edu.
