Long-term weight gain prevention: a theoretically based Internet approach.
BACKGROUND
A major focus of Healthy People 2010 is promoting weight management and physical activity because overweight, obesity, and a sedentary lifestyle are strongly associated with risk for heart disease and stroke, diabetes, cancers, and premature death.


METHODS
Prevalence data and a focused review of weight management and physical activity studies point to the long-term weight gain prevention in normal weight (21-25 BMI), overweight (25-29 BMI), and even moderate obese (30-34 BMI) people as one alternative to prioritizing weight loss in health behavior interventions. This is because on a population basis annual weight gain is small (approximately 0.8 kg/year) and preventing weight gain appears to require only an energy shift of about 100 cal/day either through a modest increase in physical activity and/or consuming slightly less calories to maintain an energy balance. A more dynamic use of social cognitive theory (SCT) for developing programs to maintain health behavior changes is emerging with some evidence of long-term maintenance. The high use of the Internet provides a vehicle to reach different population segments with readily accessible, SCT-tailored long-term programs. Research studies using the Internet with tailored SCT interventions have shown changes in nutrition practices, physical activity, and weight loss for up to a year.


CONCLUSIONS
One promising approach to weight gain prevention in population segments is the development and wide spread use of longer-term Internet programs using specific principles and procedures from SCT.
Winett
Richard A
RA
Department of Psychology, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA 24061-0436, USA. rswinett@vt.edu
Tate
Deborah F
DF
Anderson
Eileen S
ES
Wojcik
Janet R
JR
Winett
Sheila G
SG
D003376:Counseling; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011582:Psychological Theory; D015430:Weight Gain