title: Combining behavioral weight loss treatment and a commercial program: a randomized clinical trial.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To test the hypothesis that a novel weight loss approach that combined the fundamental components of professionally delivered behavioral weight loss (BWL) treatment with the existing Weight Watchers (WW) program would produce better weight losses than WW alone no differences were expected between the novel treatment and BWL alone.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants were 141 overweight and obese adults (90% women, 67% non-White, mean age = 49.7 ± 9.2 years, mean body mass index = 36.2 ± 5.5 kg/m(2) ) randomly assigned to 48 weeks of BWL, 48 weeks of WW, or 12 weeks of BWL followed by 36 weeks of WW [combined treatment (CT)]. Assessments were conducted at baseline and weeks 12, 24, and 48, with weight change as the primary outcome.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Linear mixed model analysis showed that 24-week weight losses did not differ significantly between treatment groups; however, weight losses at 48 weeks were greater in the WW group (M = -6.0 kg, standard error (SE) = 0.8) compared with the CT group (M = -3.6 kg, SE = 0.8; P = 0.032), with BWL not significantly different from either (M = -5.4 kg, SE = 0.8). Further, a greater proportion of WW participants lost 10% of baseline weight by 48 weeks compared with BWL or CT (36.7%, 13.0%, and 15.2%, respectively, P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study shows that the WW program can produce clinically meaningful weight losses and provides no evidence that adding brief BWL to the WW program improves outcome.
authors: Department of Psychology, Baruch College, CUNY, New York, New York, USA. angela.pinto@baruch.cuny.edu
authors: Angela Marinilli
authors: AM
authors: Pinto
authors: Joseph L
authors: JL
authors: Fava
authors: Debra A
authors: DA
authors: Hoffmann
authors: Rena R
authors: RR
authors: Wing
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001521:Behavior Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004032:Diet; D002149:Energy Intake; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D009765:Obesity / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D050177:Overweight / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D015431:Weight Loss; D061217:Weight Reduction Programs / Q000379:methods*
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