Prevalence of weight loss maintenance success in previous participants of a commercial weight loss programme in Accra, Ghana

Overweight and obesity are major risk factors for a number of non-communicable diseases such as type 2 diabetes, hypertension, stroke, heart attack and others. Intentional weight loss has been widely documented as an effective way of reducing the risk of such chronic diseases. As a result of the positive health consequences of weight reduction, many people all over the world are attempting weight loss to reap these health benefits. Common methods being used to achieve weight loss include self-help measures and structured programmes such as commercial weight loss programmes. Although commercial weight loss programmes are increasingly being patronised, little is known about the long-term outcomes of such programmes. The purpose of this study was to ascertain the prevalence of weight loss maintenance success in previous participants of a commercial weight loss programme in Accra, Ghana, who had been out of the weight loss programme for a median period of 4.75 years. A cross-section of 230 participants were randomly selected for this study. Baseline and end-line anthropometric data, length of stay in the programme and post treatment time were extracted from the programme's database. Weight measurements taken at follow up were used in calculating the percent weight loss at follow up. Successful weight loss maintenance was defined as achieving at least five percent weight loss below baseline weight at follow up otherwise unsuccessful. Comparisons of successful weight loss maintainers (SWLM) and unsuccessful weight loss maintainers (UWLM) were conducted using Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) for continuous variables and Pearson chi-square for categorical variables. The mean baseline weight, height, Body Mass Index (BMI) and age for the cohort were 96.5±16.3kg, 1.65±0.08m, 35.4±5.4kg/m2, and 39.7±9.2yrs, respectively. The prevalence of weight loss maintenance success was 23.9%. More than half (52.2%) of the study cohort either returned to baseline weight or further re-gained some weight beyond baseline weight at follow up. Seventeen percent of the study cohort retained at least 95% of losses previously attained during the weight loss programme. Long-term maintenance of lost weight is achievable in a substantial proportion of weight losers and must be actively promoted by health professionals. The results can be generalised to majority of those who enter this commercial weight loss programme and not only the successful ones.