Prescribed "breaks" as a means to disrupt weight control efforts.
OBJECTIVE
Research on long-term maintenance of weight loss is hampered by the fact that relapse typically does not occur until after 6 months. We sought to determine whether relapses could be induced earlier by intentionally interrupting the momentum of weight loss during a treatment program and thus provide a model for weight maintenance research.


METHODS
Subjects (N = 142) were recruited at two centers and randomly assigned to a control group, a long break group (LB), or a short break group (SB). The control group received a standard behavioral weight loss program with 14 weekly sessions; the LB and SB groups received the same. However, the LB group took a 6-week break after lesson 7, and the SB group took a 2-week break after lessons 3, 6, and 9. Participants were instructed to stop all weight loss efforts during breaks.


RESULTS
Participants seemed to take breaks as prescribed, with interruptions in self-monitoring, dietary adherence, and self-weighing (but not in exercise). However, participants quickly resumed these behaviors after the break. Breaks produced a slowing of weight loss or slight regain, but weight losses during the breaks were not significantly different from the control group. Importantly, overall weight losses (0 to 5 months or 0 to 11 months) did not differ between conditions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study was not successful in developing a method to experimentally produce weight loss relapses. However, the finding that prescribed breaks do not have adverse effects may have clinical application.
Wing
Rena R
RR
Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, Brown Medical School/The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island. rwing@lifespan.org
Jeffery
Robert W
RW
D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010349:Patient Compliance; D013997:Time Factors; D017211:Treatment Failure; D015431:Weight Loss