Abundant literature exist on interventions for weight loss documenting the existence of a weight loss maintenance problem (Wadden & Bell, 1990; Kay man et al., 1990; Wadden et al., 1989). Very few individuals are successful at maintaining their weight loss for at least two years for reasons that are not clearly understood. This retrospective study examined factors, identified in a review of the scientific literature, shown to be associated with weight loss maintenance. A screening questionnaire was presented to all female patients (n=271) entering physician offices for routine health maintenance care from February 1, 1994 through June 30, 1994. Fifty-three females who had maintained an intentional weight loss of at least 20 pounds for two years within the past 10 years were identified. A comparison group of 45 females who had lost, and then regained at least 20 pounds in the past 10 years was also identified. Study questionnaires were mailed to the 98 eligible females. The study was based on 56 responses to a questionnaire designed to assess differences in women who were successful at maintaining long-term weight loss (n=29) and those who regained their weight loss (n=27). The overall questionnaire return rate was 57-1 percent: 54.7 percent for maintainers and 60.0 percent for regainers. The two groups were comparable based on demographic and descriptive variables.
Women who were successful at maintaining their weight loss differed significantly from women who regained their weight in the following areas: 1. maintainers currently weigh less than regainers and considered their ideal weight to be lower; 2. maintainers attended fewer formal weight loss programs and received less weight loss instruction, received instruction at a commercial program less often, and were more likely to have attended a support group after weight loss; 3. maintainers performed more aerobic activity after weight loss; and 4. maintainers were more likely to have eaten meals at regular times, consumed fewer servings per day of \"junk food\", snacked less between meals, and snacked less on items such as chips, candy, cookies, and diet soda.
Based on the findings of this study, it appears that successful weight loss maintenance is the result of a multicomponent process which includes perception of ideal weight, a self-help approach to weight loss and attending a support group, regular aerobic exercise, and specific diet-related behaviors.
","abstract_html":"<p>Abundant literature exist on interventions for weight loss documenting the existence of a weight loss maintenance problem (Wadden & Bell, 1990; Kay man et al., 1990; Wadden et al., 1989). Very few individuals are successful at maintaining their weight loss for at least two years for reasons that are not clearly understood. This retrospective study examined factors, identified in a review of the scientific literature, shown to be associated with weight loss maintenance. A screening questionnaire was presented to all female patients (n=271) entering physician offices for routine health maintenance care from February 1, 1994 through June 30, 1994. Fifty-three females who had maintained an intentional weight loss of at least 20 pounds for two years within the past 10 years were identified. A comparison group of 45 females who had lost, and then regained at least 20 pounds in the past 10 years was also identified. Study questionnaires were mailed to the 98 eligible females. The study was based on 56 responses to a questionnaire designed to assess differences in women who were successful at maintaining long-term weight loss (n=29) and those who regained their weight loss (n=27). The overall questionnaire return rate was 57-1 percent: 54.7 percent for maintainers and 60.0 percent for regainers. The two groups were comparable based on demographic and descriptive variables.</p> <p>Women who were successful at maintaining their weight loss differed significantly from women who regained their weight in the following areas: 1. maintainers currently weigh less than regainers and considered their ideal weight to be lower; 2. maintainers attended fewer formal weight loss programs and received less weight loss instruction, received instruction at a commercial program less often, and were more likely to have attended a support group after weight loss; 3. maintainers performed more aerobic activity after weight loss; and 4. maintainers were more likely to have eaten meals at regular times, consumed fewer servings per day of "junk food", snacked less between meals, and snacked less on items such as chips, candy, cookies, and diet soda.</p> <p>Based on the findings of this study, it appears that successful weight loss maintenance is the result of a multicomponent process which includes perception of ideal weight, a self-help approach to weight loss and attending a support group, regular aerobic exercise, and specific diet-related behaviors.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Ponte, Renie Del"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)","degree_level":"Dissertation","degree_discipline":"Nutrition","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Glen Blix","Georgia Hodgkins","Helen Hopp"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":1995,"date_issued":"1995-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"1995-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:53:20Z","subjects":["Community Health and Preventive Medicine","Weight Loss; Women's Health; Exercise; Social Support."],"languages":["English"],"rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/751","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Glen Blix","Georgia Hodgkins","Helen Hopp"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Ponte, Renie Del"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Nutrition"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Community Health and Preventive Medicine","Weight Loss; Women's Health; Exercise; Social Support."]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/751"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Abundant literature exist on interventions for weight loss documenting the existence of a weight loss maintenance problem (Wadden & Bell, 1990; Kay man et al., 1990; Wadden et al., 1989). Very few individuals are successful at maintaining their weight loss for at least two years for reasons that are not clearly understood. This retrospective study examined factors, identified in a review of the scientific literature, shown to be associated with weight loss maintenance. A screening questionnaire was presented to all female patients (n=271) entering physician offices for routine health maintenance care from February 1, 1994 through June 30, 1994. Fifty-three females who had maintained an intentional weight loss of at least 20 pounds for two years within the past 10 years were identified. A comparison group of 45 females who had lost, and then regained at least 20 pounds in the past 10 years was also identified. Study questionnaires were mailed to the 98 eligible females. The study was based on 56 responses to a questionnaire designed to assess differences in women who were successful at maintaining long-term weight loss (n=29) and those who regained their weight loss (n=27). The overall questionnaire return rate was 57-1 percent: 54.7 percent for maintainers and 60.0 percent for regainers. The two groups were comparable based on demographic and descriptive variables.
Women who were successful at maintaining their weight loss differed significantly from women who regained their weight in the following areas: 1. maintainers currently weigh less than regainers and considered their ideal weight to be lower; 2. maintainers attended fewer formal weight loss programs and received less weight loss instruction, received instruction at a commercial program less often, and were more likely to have attended a support group after weight loss; 3. maintainers performed more aerobic activity after weight loss; and 4. maintainers were more likely to have eaten meals at regular times, consumed fewer servings per day of \"junk food\", snacked less between meals, and snacked less on items such as chips, candy, cookies, and diet soda.
Based on the findings of this study, it appears that successful weight loss maintenance is the result of a multicomponent process which includes perception of ideal weight, a self-help approach to weight loss and attending a support group, regular aerobic exercise, and specific diet-related behaviors.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Factors Associated with Successful long-term Weight Loss Maintenance in Women"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Glen Blix","Georgia Hodgkins","Helen Hopp"],"dc:creator":["Ponte, Renie Del"],"dc:description.abstract":["Abundant literature exist on interventions for weight loss documenting the existence of a weight loss maintenance problem (Wadden & Bell, 1990; Kay man et al., 1990; Wadden et al., 1989). Very few individuals are successful at maintaining their weight loss for at least two years for reasons that are not clearly understood. This retrospective study examined factors, identified in a review of the scientific literature, shown to be associated with weight loss maintenance. A screening questionnaire was presented to all female patients (n=271) entering physician offices for routine health maintenance care from February 1, 1994 through June 30, 1994. Fifty-three females who had maintained an intentional weight loss of at least 20 pounds for two years within the past 10 years were identified. A comparison group of 45 females who had lost, and then regained at least 20 pounds in the past 10 years was also identified. Study questionnaires were mailed to the 98 eligible females. The study was based on 56 responses to a questionnaire designed to assess differences in women who were successful at maintaining long-term weight loss (n=29) and those who regained their weight loss (n=27). The overall questionnaire return rate was 57-1 percent: 54.7 percent for maintainers and 60.0 percent for regainers. The two groups were comparable based on demographic and descriptive variables.
Women who were successful at maintaining their weight loss differed significantly from women who regained their weight in the following areas: 1. maintainers currently weigh less than regainers and considered their ideal weight to be lower; 2. maintainers attended fewer formal weight loss programs and received less weight loss instruction, received instruction at a commercial program less often, and were more likely to have attended a support group after weight loss; 3. maintainers performed more aerobic activity after weight loss; and 4. maintainers were more likely to have eaten meals at regular times, consumed fewer servings per day of \"junk food\", snacked less between meals, and snacked less on items such as chips, candy, cookies, and diet soda.
Based on the findings of this study, it appears that successful weight loss maintenance is the result of a multicomponent process which includes perception of ideal weight, a self-help approach to weight loss and attending a support group, regular aerobic exercise, and specific diet-related behaviors.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://scholarsrepository.llu.edu/etd/751"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:rights":["This title appears here courtesy of the author, who has granted Loma Linda University a limited, non-exclusive right to make this publication available to the public. The author retains all other copyrights."],"dc:subject":["Community Health and Preventive Medicine","Weight Loss; Women's Health; Exercise; Social Support."],"dc:title":["Factors Associated with Successful long-term Weight Loss Maintenance in Women"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Nutrition"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Public Health (DrPH)"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:53:20Z"}