title: Weight relapsers, maintainers, and controls: metabolic and behavioural differences.
abstract: The present investigation was undertaken to describe selected factors associated with the maintenance of body weight in three groups of women: relapsers (regained weight after losing weight), maintainers (maintained weight loss), and controls (weight stable). The following physiological variables were also assessed: resting energy expenditure (REE), serum glucose, insulin, leptin, triiodothyronine (T3), and body composition. As well, participants completed the interviewer-administered Weight Maintenance Questionnaire (WMQ). Overall, relapsers were older and heavier than maintainers and controls. As well, BMI, sum-of-four skinfolds, waist and arm circumference, serum leptin, and insulin levels were significantly greater for relapsers than for maintainers and controls. There were no differences between maintainers and controls in any of the parameters measured. Although relapsers revealed a history of weight cycling, the weight loss strategies and exercise habits of maintainers and relapsers did not differ. The data suggest that the higher body mass and fat mass in relapsers may explain the physiological differences between relapsers and maintainers.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Agricultural, Food & Nutritional Science, University of Alberta, Edmonton.
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Ball
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Gingras
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fimrite
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Villetard
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kayman
authors.forename: L J
authors.initials: LJ
authors.lastname: McCargar
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology; D001824:Body Constitution / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D004734:Energy Metabolism / Q000502:physiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D012885:Skinfold Thickness; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014284:Triiodothyronine / Q000097:blood; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology*; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D020738:Leptin; D014284:Triiodothyronine