A motivation-focused weight loss maintenance program is an effective alternative to a skill-based approach.
OBJECTIVE
Maintaining weight loss is a major challenge in obesity treatment. Individuals often indicate that waning motivation prompts cessation of effective weight management behaviors. Therefore, a novel weight loss maintenance program that specifically targets motivational factors was evaluated.


METHODS
Overweight women (N=338; 19% African American) with urinary incontinence were randomized to lifestyle obesity treatment or control and followed for 18 months. All participants in lifestyle (N=226) received the same initial 6-month group behavioral obesity treatment and were then randomized to (1) a novel motivation-focused maintenance program (N=113) or (2) a standard skill-based maintenance approach (N=113).


METHODS
Weight assessed at baseline, 6 and 18 months.


RESULTS
Both treatment groups (motivation-focused and skill-based) achieved comparable 18-month weight losses (-5.48% for motivation-focused vs -5.55% in skill-based, P=0.98), and both groups lost significantly more than controls (-1.51%; P=0.0012 in motivation-focused and P=0.0021 in skill-based).


CONCLUSIONS
A motivation-focused maintenance program offers an alternative, effective approach to weight maintenance expanding available evidence-based interventions beyond traditional skill-based programs.
West
D S
DS
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, College of Public Health, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR 7205, USA. WestDelia@uams.edu
Gorin
A A
AA
Subak
L L
LL
Foster
G
G
Bragg
C
C
Hecht
J
J
Schembri
M
M
Wing
R R
RR
D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004038:Diet, Reducing / Q000379:methods / Q000523:psychology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D009042:Motivation; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D010349:Patient Compliance; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012649:Self Concept; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000150:complications / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D015431:Weight Loss