Long-term maintenance of exercise and healthy eating behaviors in overweight adults.
BACKGROUND
Most people experience weight regain following the termination of a weight management program. The failure to maintain changes in diet and exercise patterns is a major factor. This study presents 24-month outcomes of a healthy-lifestyle weight management program designed to promote long-term changes in diet and exercise behaviors.


METHODS
Overweight and obese adults (n = 144; BMI = 32.5 +/- 3.8) completed a 6-month clinic-based weight management program and were followed for an additional 18 months. Assessments completed at baseline, 6, 12, and 24 months included weight, body composition, dietary recalls, self-reported physical activity, and mediator variables based on Transtheoretical Model of Health Behavior Change.


RESULTS
At 24 months, subjects maintained decreases in weight, % body fat, caloric intake, % kcal saturated fat, and increases in weekly exercise minutes (P < 0.05). Individuals who maintained regular exercise at 24 months had higher confidence scores and higher use of experiential and behavioral processes. Individuals who maintained a healthy diet at 24 months had lower temptation scores and higher use of experiential and behavioral processes.


CONCLUSIONS
A healthy-lifestyle weight management program is successful at promoting long-term changes in exercise and dietary behaviors. Individuals who actively engage in the maintenance process are more likely to succeed.
Riebe
Deborah
D
Department of Physical Education and Exercise Science, University of Rhode Island, 10 Tootell Road, Suite 2, Kingston, RI 02881, USA. Debriebe@uri.edu
Blissmer
Bryan
B
Greene
Geoffrey
G
Caldwell
Marjorie
M
Ruggiero
Laurie
L
Stillwell
Kira M
KM
Nigg
Claudio R
CR
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004038:Diet, Reducing; D002149:Energy Intake; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008134:Long-Term Care; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010349:Patient Compliance; D011336:Probability; D011379:Prognosis; D012237:Rhode Island; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D015431:Weight Loss